


TomCat

by Snowy38



Series: Thief Louis [1]
Category: Harry Styles - Fandom, Larry Stylinson - Fandom, Louis Tomlinson - Fandom, One Direction (Band)
Genre: And the trimmings, CEO Harry, Fighting-not graphic, Guns, Harry is celibate, LGBT Charity CEO, Liam is Louis' tech guy, M/M, Perrie is a pro thief, Scarred Louis, Shooting, Stubborn Harry, There's sex of course, Thief Louis, sorry for the tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2015-09-20
Packaged: 2018-04-19 15:07:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 78,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4750820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snowy38/pseuds/Snowy38
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis didn't have a choice but to push Harry along the asphalt on frightened feet since the loot was on his person. He'd figure out the rest once he was in the car but for right now he had two main priorities. One, to get the diamonds to the car and escape. Two, make sure Harry didn't die in the process.</p><p>Louis Tomlinson is a professional thief in the middle of a heist when Harry Styles happens to try on the rare diamonds he needs to transport. Caught up in the ensuing shoot-out, Louis has no choice but to take Harry with him, intending to lose him at the first stop. Only he hadn't banked on Harry's stubborn streak which sees him refusing to leave Louis' side until the diamonds are delivered.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a repost hopefully better edited :)
> 
> artwork by @BestLarrieFics

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Artwork by @BestLarryFics

 

 

 

Louis Tomlinson was at the top of his game.

 

As the owner and director of 'TomCat' he'd built a very successful business in professional heists. His ways may be unorthodox; he might even seem a wild-card to some but he got the job done every time.

 

Louis was a professional cat burglar and he had a 100% success rate so far and he wasn't about to ruin that with tonight's plan. He was scrunched low in the driver's seat of a very boring-looking Mercedes; parked asymmetrically to 'Gem's Gold' jewellery store.

 

It was midnight, just twenty-five minutes from closing time and his decoy was in the shop, 'browsing'.

 

Perrie was stunningly beautiful. She was blonde and petite with curves in the right places and she had these big, innocent-looking blue eyes that fooled most. And part of Louis' game was to fool.

 

Truth was, the gems Perrie was in the shop to smuggle were already paid for and committed to the National Diamond Museum in Virginia and Louis had been employed to get them there.

 

Trouble was, there were several other interested parties involved who also wanted to intercept the gems and if the museum hired a truck and transported them the traditional way, they were inviting guerrilla war-fare.

 

These were the rarest diamonds the world had ever seen and they had just landed in America. And now it was Louis' job to get them to Virginia from California without getting shot and without them being stolen.

 

He could manage the second part of that, the first part was yet to be seen.

 

He rubbed his upper arm in silent memory of his last injury and it seemed like every scar on his body throbbed as well. The lash-mark on his ribs from being captured by the ankle and dragged across the jungle floor in Bora Bora when sniping with yellow emeralds, the jagged knife-slash on his thigh exacted by punks in Sao Paulo. His fingers even traced across the small puckered mark by his right eye- a stone thrown at his head in Thailand which had cut him by the eye and luckily not left him blind.

 

His body was a map of what not to do when heisting valuable commodity. If it wasn't gems, it was art and none of it mattered to Louis, all that mattered was getting the artefact to where it needed to be and keeping it out of the wrong hands.

 

He drew his tiny binoculars to his eyes carefully, still smudged down in the seat. Perrie was doing a wonderful job of waiting for the diamonds to try them on. Any minute now she'd be leaving the shop; those beautiful sparklers hidden under her coat and all she had to do was cross the road, throw the jewellery into the black box Louis had open in the passenger seat and Louis would be off- quiet tires down the quiet main street before anyone could capture his identity or the identity of his car.

 

Louis frowned as a shadow fell across the doorway of the shop. A very tall man entered and he felt his gut tighten and the breath leave his lings.

 

 _No, no no!_ This wasn't right!

 

The dark side of the diamond industry didn't normally put spies inside jewellery shops. They expected the jewels to come in at the dock and an armoured van to be waiting. They'd been tipped off as such. Nobody expected the diamonds to be here, in this generic little jewellery shop in the back or Bakersfield.

 

Louis growled in annoyance and pushed up a bit in his seat, watching the new entrant closely.

 

Perrie turned toward him, quite rightly wide-eyed and surprised at his appearance. Louis wished he'd put a wire on her now but he didn't think they needed one. This was supposed to be easy- to be smooth and simple and-

 

 _Jesus Christ_.

 

The jewels were being carried out by the shop-keeper, shrouded with a black cloth for the moment. The attendant paused upon seeing the guy that had appeared since they'd left the front counter to fetch the specialist items.

 

Louis studied the guy for a moment. Tall, broad, dark hair in a long, rakish mop. He was wearing tight jeans and a white shirt with blue dots on, open to his navel and a jacket over the top. When he lifted his hand to drag his hair to one side, his jacket lifted and Louis just about caught the neat package of his behind and a delicious pair of thighs, hips almost girl-like in the way he stood.

 

This wasn't good. This wasn't good _at all_.

 

What should he do? Should he go in there? Be all _'Darling, have you chosen yet?'_ and fawn over Perrie? But that wasn't the plan. And he needed to be able to get away fast. And Perrie could be trusted to handle this, he was sure.

 

 _Oh JESUS_.

 

Louis gaped as the tall guy- who also happened to be very handsome- reached by Perrie to flip up the shrouding black cover for the jewellery. He watched as the model (he honestly looked like one) awed over the sparklers for a moment and Perrie must have been brain-washed because she smiled at him cutely and giggled as he reached for the necklace while Louis sank his fingers into his hair and resisted tearing every strand out.

 

This wasn't how it was supposed to go! _What the actual fuck!_ What was Perrie trying to do, give him a heart attack?

 

If she thought letting the model try on the jewellery first was a good way of handling the situation then she was very wrong. Louis swallowed, hard. He had no choice. He had to go in there. One last glance through his binoculars told him the model was now adding the cuff to his wrist and Perrie was clapping excitedly at the result. Louis did _not_ pause at seeing the model in diamonds. He did not lose his breath for a second as it hitched in his lungs.

 

 _Fuck_. How could such a masculine guy look so good in fucking diamonds for fucks sake?

 

He triggered the door of the car open, key pinched between thumb and finger ready for the mad dash he'd no doubt have to make back across this road before the enemy whisked the model out of there and stole his own idea from under his nose.

 

"Darling!" He pushed open the door with an obvious fondness for Perrie in his tone. "Have you chosen what you want yet?"

 

The model turned to look at him, lips pursing a little sheepishly. Louis thought he saw a blush spread across his cheeks.

 

Perrie, in her defense, looked stunned.

 

"Erm, yes, sweetheart, just _Harry_ here is trying them on for me..." Perrie stuttered.

 

Louis flicked his cool blue gaze back to the model. Harry. He didn't have time to do anything else because gunshots sounded out and glass began to shatter around them, loud and fast.

 

"Get down!" Louis ducked, grabbing Harry by the scruff of the neck, yanking him down and pushing him front-down to the floor.

 

Harry lay helpless, hands and legs akimbo in surrender. When the initial burst of gunfire stopped, Louis reached for the earrings on the counter that matched the items Harry had on and dragged him to his hands and knees.

 

"Crawl!" He ordered. "Head to the back door!"

 

Harry was wide-eyed as Louis shadowed him and he threw one of his pistols to Perrie even though she had already pulled one from her thigh-holster hidden under her skirt.

 

"Keep them back while I run for the car," Louis told her but he knew he didn't need to.

 

Louis didn't have a choice but to push Harry along the asphalt on frightened feet since the loot was on his person. He'd figure out the rest once he was in the car but for right now he had two main priorities. One, to get the diamonds to the car and escape. Two, make sure Harry didn't die in the process.

 

Louis hated civilian casualties. He'd like to be able to boast a clean record in that respect but no-one in his line of work could do a job as intense as his without someone getting hurt. He just hoped he'd taken the worst of any injuries and that he could keep that promise for this job, too.

 

Louis opened his car door, luckily parked at the opposite angle to where the opposition were shooting and Perrie was keeping them plenty busy for them to notice Louis shoving Harry into the back of the car unceremoniously, jumping in the drivers seat to ignite the engine.

 

He instantly flew into a u-turn, creeping off in the opposite direction as his heart raced, praying to no one in particular to get something of a head-start and secondly, that his tires wouldn't get shot out while he got an advantage.

 

They were being tailed. The opposition seemed to have stopped shooting which was something of a miracle but they were on the highway now so unless they wanted a Police Helicopter to trail them, they'd have to try and blend in. The crime would have already been reported and Police on the way but Louis knew that while they were being followed, they were both in danger.

 

As if only just remembering there was a 'we' to worry about, he flicked his eyes into the rear-view mirror where Harry was laid in the footwell of the backseat, clutching his arms around his middle and breathing heavily, panicked.

 

"Hey...Hey, you okay back there?" Louis called.

 

The last thing he needed was a cardiac arrest in the back of his car.

 

"What...the...fuck..." Harry whispered, voice shaky like his nerves if the tremors in his hands were anything to go by.

 

Louis saw everything, had eyes like a hawk. He saw the black BMW dip and swerve behind them, gaining a place. He bit his lip, concentrating to gain three ahead of them.

 

"Look, I'll kick you out at the toll booth," Louis called into the backseat. "Just throw the jewellery in the back and you can slip right out. I won't stop but I'll slow down enough not to break anything..."

 

Harry- _the model_ -stayed very quiet. Louis heard more than saw him shuffling in the footwell.

 

"Do I have to stay down?" He asked quietly.

 

Louis almost cringed at his frightened tone. He sounded like a seven-year-old girl kidnapped from her parents by a bad man.

 

"Please," Louis breathed. "I can keep you alive if you do..."

 

"Fuck!" He heard Harry hiss.

 

"Look, you got in the middle of something you shouldn't have!" Louis cast, a little annoyed.

 

Nobody asked Harry to snatch the gems off the case, to take over Perrie's role.

 

"I just liked the diamonds," Harry murmured into the dark.

 

"Yeah, don't we all?" Louis smirked. "I thought you were with _them_ ," he jerked a thumb behind to signal to the bad guys.

 

"I'm doing a charity fashion show?" Harry posed, almost in question. "I thought it'd be funny to go in gems and a dress..."

 

Louis arched a brow. _Christ_. That'd be some statement for sure.

 

"What kind of charity is this?" Louis teased.

 

"For LGBT Teens," Harry stated proudly, even if his voice still held a quiver of fear. "I'm the CEO."

 

Louis almost choked on his own dry swallow. Just what in the _hell_...?

 

No wonder Perrie had been entranced, Louis could quite understand it now. It didn't change the situation but- well, he had to get Harry out of his car and to safety as soon as possible.

 

"Look, Harry, the booth is ten minutes away, I'll let you out there, okay?" Louis said again.

 

"You know my name," Harry said then and if Louis wasn't trying to evade a car full of killers, he might sound less annoyed when he huffed out a sigh.

 

"Perrie told me in the shop, remember?"

 

"I don't know yours," Harry added and Louis wondered if Harry always spoke this slowly. Like half of his sentence had another start.

 

"You don't need to know, sweetheart," Louis glittered, yanking the steering wheel to the left to make it through a narrow gap, trying to keep the car moving smoothly otherwise.

 

"Are you a thief?" Harry asked instead.

 

Louis let out a bark of unamused laughter.

 

"You think I'm the bad guy here?" Louis mused. "I didn't shoot the store windows out..."

 

Harry shuffled onto his side in the back of the car and Louis pressed his lips together.

 

"You can slide onto he backseat if you want," he offered. "You need to be in position to roll out anyway."

 

"I'm not leaving the diamonds here!" Harry argued quickly, assuredly.

 

Louis watched him ungracefully climb into the backseat pulling himself up with his arms and thighs.

 

"Head low," Louis reminded him quickly. "Your hair is-well, it can be seen," he commented tightly.

 

"My hair is what?" Harry snapped back, folding his arms across his chest.

 

Louis could see his face now in the rear-view mirror. He looked pale and frightened. He also had unbelievable eyes. He couldn't tell the colour it was too dark but they seemed to bore into Louis' soul through the mirror alone.

 

"How did you get Perrie to let you try them on anyway?" Louis changed topic, tongue pushed into the side of his mouth as he pulled another maneuver through the traffic.

 

He checked his mirror. The other car was way back now, it was working.

 

Harry shrugged in the backseat.

 

"Just told her what I was doing and she told me to go ahead..."

 

"Did she now..." Louis hummed, thinking he really needed to have a word with Perrie about trusting unknowns. really, she knew better than that,

 

But then it was kind of obvious Harry was an innocent. His whole body permeated goodness and Louis was amused he was being painted the robber here.

 

"Don't you feel guilty?" Harry posed.

 

Louis looked in the mirror, bemused.

 

"What about?"

 

"About dragging your girlfriend into your life of crime?" Harry accused lightly.

 

Louis spat out a laugh, followed by a choking fit from all the cigarettes he'd burned through before the sting tonight. He pulled a few more maneuvers just to ease his anger. It was sparking through his veins and it wouldn't help him to get emotional about anything right now.

 

He needed to be calm, clinical even. He had to get across the toll to get on the right road to the border and he had to dump this car and maybe dye his hair and change his clothes at the first cheap motel- or maybe the second to evade detection.

 

He had a list. And it didn't start with models in the back of his car. At least, it shouldn't but it did.

 

"Perrie is not my girlfriend," Louis shared amusedly. "She's my colleague, she joined my team of her own accord. And I'm not a criminal, if you must know."

 

Harry spat out a disbelieving sound. Louis didn't have time to explain himself or defend himself, they didn't have long.

 

"Look, just get ready to jump, okay? I'll tell you what to do so you won't get hurt..."

 

"I'm not jumping," Harry stated resolutely.

 

Louis' eyes widened. He hadn't bargained for this. Whatever _this_ was.

 

"You want me to push you then?" He offered. "You probably _will_ break some bones then but you can't say I didn't give you a choice..."

 

"The diamonds aren't moving from my body until they're with their rightful owner," Harry pursed his lips determinedly.

 

Louis laughed, short and loud and-

 

This wasn't even remotely funny.

 

"I was _hired_ to get the jewels, you moron," Louis growled, eyes spitting fire through the rear-view mirror.

 

"Likely story," Harry dismissed.

 

"Really, you want to argue with a guy that has a gun?"

 

Louis took out his second of four hand-guns into his right hand and twisted his wrist to show it off.

 

"You won't shoot me," Harry said, folding his arms tighter around his body.

 

Louis opened his mouth a little, stunned. He sucked in a breath for patience.

 

"You can either do this the easy way or the hard way, Harry," Louis hard-lined then, his voice lowering.

 

Harry darted him a look in the mirror and Louis thought; _Good. Be scared_.

 

"What's the hard way?" Harry dared.

 

"I rip the jewellery off you while kicking the shit out of you," Louis posed.

 

Harry blinked, his turn for his lips to fall apart in quiet horror.

 

"W-why would you threaten to hurt me like that?" He accused.

 

"Because you won't get the fuck out of my car!" Louis raged, thumping the steering wheel a few times in frustration.

 

It left his hair wild and his eyes even wilder.

 

"These jewels belong to that shop," Harry stated.

 

"No, they belong to a museum in Virginia," Louis threw back. "Which is exactly where I am headed..."

 

Harry bit at his lip, apparently mulling this over.

 

"Alright, then I'll come with you." He decided.

 

Louis wondered if laughing manically three times in one night signaled a mental break-down. He certainly felt like he was having one.

 

"Do you realise what you're saying?" Louis began tightly, then sighed. "Clearly not or you'd be out of here faster than the Road Runner..." he muttered.

 

"I want to make sure you're telling the truth," Harry posed.

 

Louis closed his eyes for the second it took to squeeze them shut and he opened them again, the toll booth approaching. He had to talk -and fast.

 

"Look my name is Louis, okay? Louis Tomlinson. I stole the diamonds to order- that is the museum paid me to get them out the back way to try and prevent them falling in the wrong hands- like the guys behind me. You might not think I'm different from them but I _am_. Think about it- I set the whole thing up, I didn't go crashing in there guns blazing, yeah? Harry, you're not safe. Not for one second while you have _anything_ to do with those jewels and it's my job to be in the line of fire to get them to their home but not you-your job is to help teenagers with their sexuality or whatever it is you do. And I want you to keep doing that so you need to get out, okay? You need to trust me on this and just get the fuck out when I tell you to..."

 

Harry was blinking, looking in the mirror as Louis spoke, taking it all in. They were literally yards from the drop off point Louis was planning to throw Harry out at. Louis was sure his words made sense, were convincing. He had to persuade the best sometimes and his rough charm didn't always work but it mostly hit the mark. He threw in a dangerous grin for good measure, always a winner with bringing people around to his way of thinking. He may have pursed his lips a little and winked too but he wouldn't admit to that to anyone.

 

"I'm not letting you do this alone, Louis," Harry said quiet and sure and Louis felt the breath all but leave his lungs.

 

What the fuck did that mean?! It wasn't even about the fucking diamonds anymore, Harry was worried about his safety. Him. Louis Tomlinson, best thief in town.

 

"For fuck's sake Harry this isn't a negotiation!" Louis yelled.

 

"I know it isn't," he mused, pouting his lips stubbornly.

 

"Suddenly you care about a set of fucking diamonds?" Louis accused acidly. "What about your teenagers?"

 

"I still have morals. And stealing isn't right."

 

Louis picked up the gun he'd slipped into his lap with his other hand- the one he dominantly steered with and he aimed it over his shoulder, pointing it into the back seat. He sucked in a breath. He'd literally never had to do this with a civilian before. Never. And he hated every inch of his guts for even trying it but he had to try. Harry wouldn't be safe if he stayed and if it meant a bullet in the wrist or shin to get him out then he would do it because that was still preferable to Harry dying on his watch.

 

Louis took off the safety catch, set up a bullet to the pipe.

 

"If you don't get out at the toll, I _will_ shoot you," Louis promised darkly.

 

Harry blinked again, in that way that he had been all night, half scared, half confused. Louis hoped he believed his threat or they'd be in real, real, trouble because once they passed the toll, Harry would have to stay with him until he stopped at a motel and it was a B plan to lose Harry there, but really, Plan A was preferable. Less chance of Harry being killed.

 

"It's either I shoot you now or _they_ shoot you _dead_ ," Louis added for good measure, struggling to steer with his other hand and keep the gun on Harry.

 

"I'm not moving, Louis," Harry said, not quite as firmly as he'd have liked.

 

Louis hissed between his teeth and let out a roar of frustration, flipping the safety back on as he tossed the gun upwards and Harry must have thought he was taking a shot because he gasped and jumped in the back seat; hands cupping his jeans front shortly thereafter.

 

"You fucking made me piss myself you bastard!" Harry accused as Louis tossed a coin out the window and sailed through the toll booth.

 

He got onto his cell-phone and asked for Liam, told him to cause a security check delay at the toll, a black BMW possible carrying munitions. It would give Louis at least four hours to change, get a car and dump Harry.

 

Louis licked his broad lower lip slowly as he focused on the highway, the adrenaline of the last half hour slipping away to a humming level rather than spiking desperately at each move. Harry was still cradling his crotch, a red stain across his cheeks.

 

"We'll get you some new clothes," Louis offered tiredly. "I have spares in the back."

 

"No offence but I think you're a little _shorter_ than me," Harry bit out, still embarrassed.

 

Louis stared in the mirror, his blue-grey eyes almost silver with indifference.

 

"You had a chance to get out and you didn't take it. It'll be two hours before you get your next chance." Louis shared.

 

"I'm not leaving until I know the gems are where they're meant to be," Harry said again and Louis might even pride him on his determination if he wasn't so damn afraid of Harry getting shot.

 

"Okay let me re-phrase that. It'll be two hours before I tie your ass to a bed while I escape with the jewels and save said ass from getting _killed_." Louis enunciated.

 

"Really, you're going to tie me to a bed?" Harry enquired all raised brow and quiet sarcasm.

 

Louis ground his teeth together. He might shoot him yet, it wasn't beyond him. Only Harry seemed to know now that Louis wasn't capable of the same kind of violence that the other car full of thugs was capable of. And Louis regretted letting himself weaken on that resolve. His training had taught him to _injure to save lives_ and he'd totally failed. Completely.

 

And so now his main concern wasn't a set of one-off diamonds from Antigua, but a tall, good-looking man laid out on his backseat with piss soaking through his jeans.

 

Louis flicked his eyes up. What had he done to deserve this, he wondered? He'd had a good run, was it meant to come to an end, is that how it was? Or was this a test? Louis didn't really need testing right now, he wasn't sure how he'd grade on keeping someone alive because he'd never had to do it before.

 

And Harry was...

 

 _Jesus_.

 

Harry wasn't built for this, obviously. Or he wouldn't have pissed himself with fear. So why had he stayed in the car? Surely his fear would overrule any stupid notion of morals?

 

Louis reached for his cigarettes in the glove compartment; buzzing down his window.

 

"Can I sit up now?" Harry wondered lightly from the back seat as smoke billowed downward, making him choke.

 

Louis flicked a look in the mirror as he did indeed, sit up. He looked bewildered, kind of stunned. But he was-

 

Dammit, he was _good looking_. And there was a good chance Harry was gay considering his charity. Not that it mattered to Louis who Harry did. He was probably married anyway, he looked like a model so who wouldn't snap that up?

 

Suddenly a light went on in Louis' mind. Yes, that was it! Harry had to have a loved one! Someone who would care of he got hurt or worse-killed. It was the perfect way to blackmail him into getting the fuck out of his car.

 

"So, your charity..." Louis led and Harry glanced at his suspiciously.

 

"What about it?"

 

"Why did you set it up?" He asked.

 

And it was the most obvious question in the world but Louis didn't care. because he wanted to get to the questions that mattered.

 

"Because I'm gay," Harry mused. "Thought that would have been obvious..."

 

"Oh," Louis nodded, all nonchalant. "Difficult time?"

 

Harry squinted at him in a 'wouldn't you know?' kind of way but Louis waited it out. Harry couldn't possibly know Louis was gay, too. He'd assumed Perrie was his girlfriend on meeting so...

 

So why was he acting like he had a gaydar?

 

"Yeah, it was actually," Harry shared softly, frowning slightly. "Got beat up a lot for it."

 

"Hm," Louis shook his head sympathetically. "Good for you though, helping out others..."

 

"Yeah, well," Harry sighed, fingering the jewels on his wrist.

 

"So, you have a special guy now?" Louis piped up, smile smug.

 

Harry frowned into the mirror.

 

"No?"

 

Louis' face fell. He clawed back his mask.

 

"No? Handsome guy like you, CEO of his own charity? Thought you'd have guys flocking..." Louis mused.

 

Harry blinked, swallowing hard.

 

"Doesn't work like that does it?" he murmured.

 

"What do you mean?" Louis enquired.

 

Harry looked surprised that Louis had asked another question on this subject, showing a genuine interest. Louis guessed that Harry just saw him as a lowly thief and so any human qualities he evidenced were bound to be a shock.

 

"I mean like...I work a lot...some people don't get that, they don't get why I invest so much in it and they can't understand why I can't-"

 

Harry cut off, sucking in a breath, as if stunned by what he was about to reveal.

 

"Why you can't?" Louis led anyway in the hope Harry would finish his words.

 

"Why I can't let them in," he finished quietly.

 

Louis did not feel a pang of sympathy in his chest. It might be a problem he was familiar with but that didn't mean he felt anything toward this gangly model-like creature in his backseat. No way. Not at all. Harry was extra baggage that needed to be dumped over-board as soon as possible and feeling things because of him was not conducive to that plan.

 

"But you have family, right?" Louis spoke again, back to his original intent.

 

Harry nodded, a small smile jerking up the corner of his mouth.

 

"Mum, Dad, Gem," he shared.

 

"So, they wouldn't want you putting yourself in unnecessary danger..." Louis commented oh-so-lightly, twisting his fringe with his fingers to try and get it to something normal.

 

He glanced in the mirror to check it, was drawn to Harry's intense gaze on him and at that moment, the last shard of sunlight from the setting sun beamed over the horizon and illuminated his eyes and Louis finally saw their colour. And it was-

 

 _Holy fuck_.

 

It was unbelievable.

 

They were green. Not like traditional emeralds deep and dark and rich but like those yellow emeralds that Louis had taken a lashing for. Harry's eyes were olive; dotted with grey and blue and-

 

Louis had to _drive_. He had to grasp the wheel, steer the damn car and stay on _this side_ of the white lines.

 

Never mind what bloody flecks were in the midst of those orbs. They absolutely did not remind Louis of one-off diamonds.

 

"Are you trying to blackmail me, Louis?" Harry asked pertinently as Louis flicked his gaze away to the road once more.

 

"Hm?" Louis queried, the picture of innocence.

 

If he didn't look like an actual imp he might have even gotten away with it. Unfortunately he had shrewd blue eyes that crinkled when he smiled- even the devilish smile of a plan coming together- and the kind of small-dimpled smirk that most could read as mischievous on first meeting him. He wished he worked a better poker-face sometimes, he really did.

 

"Of course my family wouldn't want me to put myself in danger," Harry remarked. "But they would also understand that this isn't your _normal_ situation..."

 

"Exactly!" Louis jumped on that, agitated in the driving seat. "It isn't! And so the risk is so much greater and your mom...just think your poor mom..." Louis shook his head gravely withal sigh.

 

"What does your mom think about you doing this?" Harry asked then, smiling wanly.

 

Louis blinked.

 

For fucks sake! Couldn't the guy be stupid or something? Totally dumb, perhaps? Completely naive and easily influenced? What was all this stubbornness, determination and smart-ass replies?!

 

"She thinks I'm a superhero," Louis smiled proudly. "Most of the time I have a protective vest on and when I don't, I'm very careful."

 

"But still, the risk is _so much higher_ ," Harry parroted him smugly.

 

"I'm trained," Louis clipped, determined to shut him down.

 

"How do you know I'm not?" Harry threw back.

 

Louis smirked.

 

"Look at your pants," he mused.

 

Harry blushed again, looking out of the window quickly.

 

Louis sighed, taking a little pity on him. The guy was trying to do the right thing. He was ignoring the seriousness of the situation to accompany Louis across the country and it was admirable really but Louis still needed to protect him. If he couldn't do it but telling him what to do, maybe he could use other tactics to dissuade him...

 

"So, you'll need to cut your hair," Louis began as he fiddled with the radio, casually finding a station as Harry's gaze snapped back to the mirror. "Maybe dying it too would be a good idea...we'll wear my spare clothes for the next two days but we'll get something else in Idaho..."

 

Louis opened his mouth to say more but Harry cleared his throat.

 

"I have to cut my hair?" He asked.

 

Louis nodded.

 

"I was going to get one of those temporary dyes, maybe do mine black? What do you think?" Louis ruffled his hair under his hand gently.

 

Harry blinked in that way that said he was thinking.

 

"I really have to cut my hair?"

 

"Long hair, don't care, huh?" Louis smirked in the mirror.

 

Harry fingered the ends of his curly mop.

 

"I've been growing it all year..." He said quietly.

 

Louis bit his lip to curb his smile.

 

"Or you could just get out when we get to the motel then you don't have to do anything to your appearance..." Louis suggested.

 

Harry stared at him for longer. Louis reminded himself to watch the road again.

 

"How long are you going to spend thinking of ways to kick me out?" Harry wondered.

 

Louis smiled. "Ooh...how long until we get there?" He asked back, amused.

 

"You might as well not bother," Harry suggested. "I'm coming no matter what."

 

"Even if you have to cut your long hair don't care?" Louis needled.

 

Harry smirked.

 

"They haven't even seen me they don't know what I look like. I can wear a beanie to disguise my hair if I need to." He folded his arms resolutely across his chest.

 

Louis' gaze was drawn to the dark pattern at the bottom of where his arms crossed, where his shirt was unbuttoned to but when he was standing only the tattoos on his collarbones were visible (some swallows, a 17Black and some letters) and there was something else under his pecs that Louis couldn't quite make out.

 

Since Harry was in the kind of stubborn mood Louis only usually found in five-year-olds, he decided to change the subject. He had handcuffs and rope and other restraining devices in the boot that he could use to tie Harry up just like he'd threatened. Hopefully it wouldn't have to be to a bed or he might not complete the escape part of his plan successfully. He had a feeling that seeing model-Harry tied to anything would be majorly distracting.

 

"What's that?" Louis lifted his chin and Harry frowned.

 

"What's what?"

 

"On your stomach?" Louis clarified.

 

"Oh," Harry unfolded his arms and opened out his shirt to show him. "A butterfly..."

 

Louis looked back to the road. He absolutely did not feel a reaction in his jeans from being flashed Harry's belly, no way no how. This heist was turning out to be the worst thing that had ever happened and Louis had been shot at with _arrows_ in _Crimea_ for fucks sake. This beat that hands down.

 

"I suggest you get some sleep," Louis said. "We're not stopping at the motel to sleep, just to change."

 

Harry squinted.

 

"I'll sleep when you sleep."

 

Louis pursed his lips, concern for Harry foremost in his mind. He sighed softly, lowering his voice.

 

"Look, I wont kick you out while you're sleeping, okay? I promise...I just need you to be as alert as possible if I have any hope of keeping you alive," he admitted. "We'll talk about what we're doing at the next stop."

 

"I already know what _I'm_ doing," Harry replied. "Don't try and leave me there, I'll report you straight to the cops..."

 

Louis stiffened at that.

 

Technically, the cops were on his side, one of the good guys as such. But the cops and Louis hadn't always seen eye to eye. Mostly when he was a teenager shuffling along power lines to break into the house opposite with nothing but his dad's bank card. Or playing magic tricks with ten dollar notes- disappearing acts mostly. And in his adult life, he hadn't fared a whole lot better. They knew Louis, of course they did, he'd been picked up a handful of times at the end of an operation and Louis wasn't SAS or FBI; he wasn't respected for his underhand tactics, but he didn't appreciate the cops being called on him. Didn't appreciate it at all.

 

Because if they were, the diamonds would go through the Police Department and somehow they would be lost. And Louis would have failed in his mission because the pull on the inside of the Police Department was stronger than any outside it. Criminals ran the darkest rings of power under the Police's very own feet but Harry wouldn't know that. Sweet innocent little Harry would have no clue. And it wasn't for Louis to tell him.

 

"I thought blackmail wasn't on the menu?" Louis mused as he looked at Harry in the mirror.

 

Harry dashed his eyes away, evidently feeling guilty but Louis almost begrudgingly respected him. Almost.

 

"Alright, Harry," Louis said his name tightly, like it left a bitter taste in his mouth. "The future plan is under negotiation but right now, you need to sleep."

 

Harry squirmed, evidently uncomfortable in his damp jeans. Louis didn't have a solution other than for Harry to go naked waist down so he didn't say anything, just watched Harry curl up on the back seat and fold his arms across his chest.

 

A while later, his deep breaths gave a steady backdrop to the hum of the car engine; the road long and winding before them. Louis had no idea how he was going to deal with his new cargo but he didn't want to worry about that right now, he had plans to make and he lifted his phone to his ear to make them.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

****

** chapter 2 **

 

Louis didn't want to take the obvious route to Virginia. If anyone was tailing them- which he suspected they were, still- they were assume he would steam through Salt Lake City and Denver before heading due north. Louis headed north first to try and keep them off the trail. At Portland Liam had arranged a car and some clothes so really he just needed to get them to a gas station on the coast to fill up with gas, grab some quick bites and maybe a change of underwear for Harry.

 

Harry was fast asleep in the back still as Louis drew up at the third gas station on the route, pulling on a curved-peak baseball cap and dragging it low over his eyes as he filled. He selected some light snacks for them both, some bottles of lucozade, threw in a novelty pair of Sponge bob boxer-briefs and grabbed some sweat pants from the trunk before he threw his paper sack of purchases into the passenger seat.

 

The activity seemed to stir Harry from his slumber. He wiped his eyes with both hands curled like paws. Louis wondered how the fuck he was ever going to stay alive if he acted like a fucking baby bear the whole ride there.

 

As Harry re-accustomed himself to where he actually was, Louis flicked looks in the mirror, humming along to the radio and stuffing a sandwich into his mouth. He tossed a bottle over his shoulder, landing it on Harry's stomach. Harry groaned as he received it.

 

"Got supplies," Louis said, still eating and humming.

 

Harry sat up, breaking open the drink and glugging it down. He looked really confused.

 

"You didn't dump me." Is what he said.

 

Louis swallowed, capturing crumbs from his bottom lip with his tongue. He avoided meeting Harry's gaze in the mirror.

 

"Yeah. Well."

 

Harry leaned forward into the gap between the front seats.

 

"Did you get food?" He asked then.

 

Louis nodded, slinging the bag over to the back seat.

 

"Here, help yourself..."

 

Harry lifted out the yellow boxer-briefs with a quizzical smile.

 

"Oh I got them for you," Louis said, tossing the joggers over the seat too. "And those out of the trunk. You can sit up front once you've changed," he added.

 

Harry tilted his head.

 

"Up front?"

 

Louis nodded.

 

"Hm-mm," he assured.

 

"Are you sure?" Harry asked suspiciously.

 

"Yep."

 

Harry narrowed his gaze.

 

"You're not going to push me out the passenger door are you?"

 

Louis laughed, loud and hard at his question.

 

"Not unless I want a law-suit on my hands for maiming you..."

 

"Do you know what worries me Louis?" Harry asked, shunting his hips forward to start unbuckling his belt.

 

Louis had to avert his gaze quickly from that particular activity and licked his lips nervously.

 

"Hm?" He half-asked in a hum.

 

"That you know how to push someone safely out of a car," Harry continued, wriggling out of his skin-tight jeans.

 

Louis was very definitely not watching the pale expanse of his long, long legs appear. Definitely not. He definitely did not run over the cats eyes in the middle of the road which caused a deep shuddering under the tires of the car, signaling his distraction. Harry absolutely definitely did not snap his gaze to the mirror to check if he was looking. Louis willed his eyes not to stray from the road.

 

"Can you uh...flip the mirror up for a sec?" Harry asked then.

 

Louis sighed softly. _If he must_.

 

He heard Harry tug off the too-tight denim and felt the material brush the back of his head. He smelt the strong scent of ammonia from his urine as his briefs came away too. He reached over to his glove compartment and chucked a packet of baby wipes at him which Harry received with a bemused;

 

"Thanks," as he continued changing.

 

Louis began to bop a bit to the song playing, began to stupid-sing along. When he checked his side mirror he only caught a glimpse of white thigh and yellow boxers. They were both covered by grey marl as Harry tugged on the too-small sweat pants.

 

"They're like leggings on me," Harry mused.

 

Louis flipped his mirror back down to have a look.

 

 _Holy Christ_.

 

Harry wasn't lying. His whole package- and it was an impressive package- that had been hidden, repressed even by jeans, was now pressing tightly against the soft jersey of the slouch pants. He grabbed a fistful of material and pulled, trying to stretch it out.

 

"Not sure you need to know that much about me," Harry murmured as he rooted through the bag for food.

 

"Come up here," Louis patted the seat beside him, ten times happier to be heading out of state and toward their safe place.

 

Harry clambered into the front seat inelegantly, his butt smooshing right into Louis' cheek, messing up his hair.

 

"Sorry," Harry quickly said, blushing as he settled in the front seat. "Sorry..."

 

Louis pursed his lips and slicked his hair back, ignoring the feel of Harry's ass against his face. If he could imagine rubbing his cheek into that pert little behind then it was entirely Harry's fault. Louis couldn't be blamed for thinking such things after such and overt disrespect of body-space.

 

Harry drummed his fingers against his hips in time to the song.

 

"So, tell me about you, Harry," Louis invited.

 

"You already know," Harry mused.

 

"Name, age, vital statistics," Louis waved a hand around.

 

"Harry Styles, 20, single, six-three, 200 pounds, I enjoy running, boxing and tennis, I speak a little Italian....erm...."

 

"Hm," Louis nodded, as if interested in the answers. He really wasn't. But if he could get to the bottom of the enigma that was Harry Styles, he might be able to disarm his misguided intention to tag along.

 

"You?" Harry shot back.

 

Louis shouldn't have started this game.

 

"Louis Tomlinson, 23, single, five-ten,180 pounds, you don't even want to know and I know a bit of most languages," he supplied.

 

"Five ten?" Harry questioned and Louis wondered why he'd focused on that one fact.

 

Also the one he felt the most self-conscious about. And maybe stretched the truth of a little.

 

"The best cat-burglars are small and fast," he shared.

 

"So you admit you're a thief," Harry jumped on that and that-

 

Well, that wasn't exactly what Louis was going for with this. He wasn't expecting to be pulled apart here. He was confident in his ability, in his execution and it wasn't his fault some overgrown man-hunk was filling up his car.

 

"I admit nothing," Louis countered quietly, annoyed.

 

"Probably best," Harry nodded. "The less you admit the less they can pin on you..."

 

"You're still wearing the diamonds," Louis frowned across at him.

 

Harry had tucked the necklace under his t-shirt but the cuff was hanging daintily off his wrist as he crunched his way through Pringles.

 

"I don't trust you that's why," Harry shot him a look.

 

Louis didn't bother to be offended.

 

"When we get to Portland I want you to really think about what we're doing, Harry," Louis said, soft and earnest. "I don't want a civilian death on my conscience and I don't want you to get hurt."

 

"Civilian?" Harry repeated with a chuckle. "Nice...very authentic..."

 

"This isn't a fucking game!" Louis hissed, knocking the Pringle tin right out of his hand and it landed in the foot well with a tinny clonk, some of the broken crisps falling to the foot mat.

 

Harry leaned forward and picked it up carefully, frowning at Louis as he drew back up, blinking at him. He jiggled the tin, pulling out broken bits of crisps instead of whole ones.

 

"You broke them," he accused in that way that was beginning to drive Louis insane.

 

His eyes flashed angrily and he would have pulled over if their lead wasn't so damn important.

 

"Imagine that being your head Harry," Louis suggested. "What's worse, you letting a possible criminal run off with the jewels or you being dead?"

 

Harry dipped his head then, lips pouting sadly. Louis didn't want to upset him but he had to make him see this wasn't a game. It wasn't anywhere near fun. It was dangerous. And Harry couldn't get hurt. Louis would never forgive himself.

 

"I'll be careful," Harry said gently, like he knew his words weren't enough.

 

"Why do you want to?" Louis begged, exasperated.

 

Harry's fingertips ran over the design on his wrist, his eyes alight with the glints from the diamonds.

 

"They're beautiful aren't they?" He mused. "As soon as I saw them I had to touch them, had to try them on..."

 

"For your fashion show," Louis supplied with a nod.

 

"I'm not-I'm not in love with myself but I could imagine them on me, with a proper silk gown and it would have been incredible, to see people's faces, to make that kind of statement..." Harry explained.

 

Louis didn't quite get the connection to wanting to get killed but he'd learned to wait where Harry was concerned.

 

"I-Couldn't just let them go. I wanted to carry them and take them to their home myself," Harry said.

 

And it was ridiculous, really, that a full-grown man-even at 20- could get emotional over some bloody jewels. But Louis somehow got it. He had no idea how because anywhere outside of this car, he would have laughed from his belly very loudly until tears sprung from his eyes. But Harry was so serious, so mesmerising. He was in love with the diamonds. And Louis hoped this wasn't one of those Lord of the Rings things where he'd never get Harry to separate from the diamonds but for now he kind of understood that Harry needed to see the jewels resting safely in their designated high-security case.

 

Louis let out a long and frustrated sigh, knowing he was going to regret his next words until the day he died- or Harry died, whichever of them went first.

 

"Alright, you can come to Virginia," Louis huffed.

 

Harry looked across at him, quiet, blinking.

 

"What?"

 

"You can come along," Louis repeated. "You don't have to cut your hair but you do have to wear a hat and I need to teach you how to hold a gun."

 

"A gun?" Harry repeated, open-mouthed.

 

"Look, I'll do everything I can to protect you but I'm not a body-guard," Louis pointed out. "You can take one of my pistols just in case."

 

Harry was shaking his head, confusion written across his face.

 

"I don't know if I can..."

 

"You can if someone's trying to kill you," Louis said pragmatically. "Which by the way, has a 99% chance of happening..."

 

Harry darted him a look and Louis swallowed, wondering if he'd maybe found the key to dissuading Harry after all.

 

"I should get out in Portland," he said and Louis choked on his own spit.

 

"What? Are you freaking kidding me? You just wanted me to say yes so you could give up?" He accused.

 

Harry clutched the necklace under his top.

 

"I want to come with you."

 

If Louis' allowance of Harry to come along wasn't a bad enough transgression in the code of his business then what he said next definitely was.

 

"It'll be okay," he assured. "I'll look out for you."

 

Harry licked his lips, uncertainty crossing his face.

 

"Hey, size means nothing in combat," Louis snapped irritably.

 

"No, no, it's not that..." Harry quickly denied.

 

Louis rolled his eyes.

 

"We can't all be six-three, Abercrombie," he accused.

 

"Why're you calling me that?" Harry asked back.

 

"Because you're like one of those model guys," Louis mused.

 

Harry remained quiet.

 

"Tall, broad, good-looking..." Louis led.

 

When Louis looked over to the passenger seat, Harry was blushing again, hands cupped in his lap to cover his exposed body parts.

 

"And we can't all be like you," Louis added, elbowing him to show he was teasing.

 

Harry spurted out some amused air.

 

"Yeah right!" He breathed. "Louis, you're _gorgeous_ so don't even try that bullshit with me looking good or whatever."

 

Louis could go several ways with this:

 

1- Gorgeous, what? Just-what?!

2- Looking good? Harry looked good enough to _eat_.

or...

 

"Well, I have too many scars to make that completely true," Louis sighed slightly, taking a turn off the highway.

 

Harry chewed on his upper lip with his bottom teeth, wanting to say more. By the time his brain had even processed a thought, Louis was speaking again.

 

"We still have two hours until we reach Portland, you should get some more sleep." Louis suggested.

 

"Will you have a sleep when we get there?" Harry checked.

 

Louis shook his head.

 

"Then I'll sleep now and I can drive from Portland to the next stop so you can have a rest..."

 

"I'm trained," Louis said only, not denying him exactly which Harry took solace from.

 

Louis had encouraged him to stay on this trip despite his several heated-and violent- threats from before and Harry almost felt guilty for making him change his mind but what he'd said about the diamonds was true. They were really too beautiful to trust with a stranger.

 

"Is there-Like can I put the jewellery away somewhere?" Harry wondered.

 

Louis felt around in the back of the car for the black box. He tossed it toward Harry.

 

"There's a black pouch in there. Maybe you can use that..."

 

Harry tucked the pouch into his joggers, watching Louis' eyes widen slightly as he did so but he fell a sleep with an amused smirk on his lips. Nobody was getting to the jewels without getting to his.

 

//

 

 

Harry was scooping his hair back and using a black stretchy band which he'd slipped off his wrist to tidy it into a bun at the back of his head as he turned to Louis to ask another question.

 

"Is Perrie really a professional thief, too?" He frowned slightly, his voice a little husky from sleep.

 

Louis flicked his eyes to the side.

 

"Yeah, she is," he supplied.

 

Harry ran his eyes over the man in the car next to him. Louis didn't look like your average hit and run type. His eyes were too shrewd, too blue, his cheeks were way to sharp and well-

 

There wasn't a lot Harry wanted to say about his lips, maybe but Louis had good bone structure, a boyishly handsome face and facial hair that looked kind of the nice side of scratchy. His skin was tan but he looked soft, somehow, despite his near-permanent frown and the way he was sat now with one hand controlling the wheel and one propped on the inner window ledge, fingers curled around his chin.

 

"I had no idea that girls even did that," Harry admitted. He evidently had a lot to learn.

 

Not only were women committing crimes the world over, but gorgeous guys were too. Maybe that was part of their success. Being good-looking must be a bonus in their line of work but-

 

"Won't the shop have CCTV?"

 

Louis smirked behind his fingers.

 

"Finally he clicks," Louis remarked.

 

"They know what you look like..."

 

"I know!" Louis exasperated. "They know, that's the point!"

 

"You talked about dying your hair," Harry threw back.

 

Louis let out a breath.

 

"To disguise myself from the morons following us." Louis offered but he had a feeling Harry wouldn't believe him.

 

"Are they still...?" Harry looked over his shoulder nervously.

 

"I think we got a good lead," Louis offered.

 

"And we're almost at our changeover point?" Harry checked.

 

Louis nodded, contemplative in the darkness of the car although it was nearing twilight by now.

 

"I had it all planned out. I go into the gas station to pay for my fuel and another guy comes out in my clothes and drives away. Meanwhile, I have a new car and time to find a motel and change my appearance..."

 

Harry swallowed.

 

"You didn't plan for me." He said only.

 

"No, I didn't," Louis arched a brow delicately as he berated himself for not telling Liam about his new addition, either.

 

Not that Liam could have got a second stand in at such short notice but the reason Louis hadn't shared that information was more to do with the fact Liam would shoot him. Probably hire a fucking helicopter to make an exact shot, to be fair. He'd absolutely maim Louis for letting a civilian get in danger's way.

 

"Let's just say I might be my own boss but the guy that made the changeover happen, he'd kill me if he knew about you..." Louis shared.

 

Harry shot him a look.

 

"You lied?" He gasped, shocked.

 

Louis shrugged.

 

"I'm a criminal aren't I?" He asked pointedly.

 

"Are you going to kidnap me and use me for ransom?" Harry worried then.

 

Louis laughed and it was real this time, unlike all his other heartless bursts of amusement this evening. Harry was stunned by the softening of his features, the way his eyes crinkled and his lips stretched over lovely white teeth.

 

"I'm not sure it can be classed as kidnap when you begged me to stay," he posed.

 

"You might use me to get more money," Harry accused softly.

 

Louis lifted his brows, as if he'd just been given a wonderful idea.

 

"Why didn't I think of that?" He slapped his knee as he swapped hands on the wheel. "Harry that's genius!"

 

Harry frowned, flicking him a look, not sure if he was joking.

 

"Oh, because I'm not an actual criminal, that's why," Louis bit out, his eyes squinting in that way he did when he was annoyed. Most of the time Harry had been in the car, really.

 

"So what can I do?" Harry asked then, ignoring Louis' rather sharp barb. "To help with the changeover?"

 

Louis sighed.

 

"I don't know I'm still thinking about it. I'm thinking you can probably slip out of the car and sneak into the toilets. I'll head into the toilets once the decoy has gone and we'll have to act like you're a hitch-hiker and I just picked you up..."

 

"In the toilets?" Harry arched a brow dubiously.

 

Louis smirked.

 

"Yes, Harry. Men usually pick up men in the toilets. Sorry if you're lucky enough to have avoided that awkwardness but-"

 

"You wouldn't pick up a guy though would you?" Harry asked pointedly.

 

Louis jutted his chin and bit into his lower lip. He swallowed.

 

"Not in the toilets, no," he allowed.

 

"Ever," Harry added confusedly. "So how is that going to look genuine?"

 

Louis looked right over at him then, brows high and smile slight. It took Harry a whole five seconds to work it out.

 

"You're _gay_?" Harry breathed, stunned.

 

Louis laughed again, for real.

 

"Yup."

 

"But-you...I-" Harry gaped like a fish for a few more seconds while Louis' fingers tapped along the steering wheel patiently.

 

"I didn't want you to add to my list of criminal acts," Louis pursed his lips. "Figured you'd assume I was a pervert or worse if you knew..."

 

Harry slid him a dark, angry look.

 

"No, I wouldn't think that," he said resolutely.

 

Louis shrugged.

 

"Well, you won't believe me when I tell you I'm not a fucking thief so..."

 

"That's different," Harry snapped. "I don't trust you. But-"

 

"But?" Louis posed, brow arched.

 

"But I can tell you're not-that you wouldn't-"

 

Louis glanced at him again.

 

"You can?" He asked amusedly, fingers curled over lips that curved up beautifully.

 

Harry didn't know why his cheeks felt hot.

 

"Yeah," he said soft and sure. "You're not like-" He sighed, lost for words.

 

"That's awesome news," Louis nodded. "I don't come across as a pervert. Amazing.." he added under his breath sarcastically.

 

Harry was watching him with a confused and curious gaze as he completed the last few miles required to get to the gas-stop where the changeover was planned.

 

"So," Louis cleared his throat, sitting up a little since the plan would soon have to be executed. "What do you think of the idea?"

 

Harry glanced at him.

 

"It makes sense," he accepted. "I can write a sign with a bit of card while you're in the shop," he suggested.

 

Louis looked at him.

 

"How good an actor are you?"

 

Harry made a face.

 

"Not great...can't say I'm used to having to lie..."

 

"You never lied about your sexuality?" Louis posed.

 

Harry paused. Of course he had. Louis spoke again.

 

"So, you can lie," he added reassuringly.

 

Harry drew in a breath.

 

"Okay, but why do you ask?" Harry wondered.

 

"Well, we don't have to make a huge deal out of it but if we want the shop owner and the CCTV reel to see that we fucked in the toilets and I'm giving you a ride then we should probably try and look a little bit like a couple of guys who're hot for each other," Louis suggested lightly.

 

Harry tensed, not realising just how duplicitous this trip across the country was going to turn out. He began to doubt if he was really up to the task and he began to wonder if the diamonds were even worth it. He slipped his hand into the front of his trackies and pulled the bag out, opening it up to check on them. They were warm from being cradled next to his genitals and they sparkled teasingly even in the blackness of their velvet surround. He sucked in a breath. At this point, even if he believed Louis' story about being hired to get the diamonds to their destination, he wasn't sure that he wanted to give up. He was twenty years old and already a CEO and it may be for a really worthwhile cause but he'd never just done something dangerous, something wild and...well, fun.

 

Even though it was scary, it was kind of thrilling to think about pretending to be someone else, filling a part and running alongside Louis like Bonnie to his Clyde.

 

Harry gazed at him, wondering why the guy sat next to him had such a pull on his soul. Harry only ever made decisions based on his heart and it surprised him that this criminal had touched it somehow, even in the short hours they'd shared together. Harry wondered if it had more to do with the underwear Louis had thoughtfully purchased or that crinkly-eyed smile he'd slipped out earlier.

 

"Okay, I can try," Harry offered then, picking at a red string around his left wrist. It bore a tiny silver charm on it.

 

"What's up, never fucked a guy you just met?" Louis posed frankly.

 

"No, I haven't actually," Harry replied, but softly, like he was embarrassed about it almost.

 

Louis was silently impressed.

 

"Well good for you, Harry," he nodded.

 

"I'm celibate," he blurted, closing his eyes as his nostrils flared and he could feel the heat on his cheeks.

 

He didn't miss the beat too long of silence that followed his statement.

 

"Oh," Louis said then quietly. "I uh..."

 

Harry knocked his head back with a sigh.

 

"It's not a religious thing if that's what you're thinking..."

 

Louis gripped the steering wheel harder and tipped his head in a 'I don't know what to think' kind of way. Harry caught it as he opened his eyes.

 

"Just...only people I'm in love with," he tried to explain brokenly. "I only have sex with people I love..."

 

Louis swallowed, nodding widely like he was talking to a flighty psycho.

 

"Right. Okay," he pressed his lips together. "So the plan's out?" He guessed.

 

"No!" Harry quickly denied, startling Louis with his vehemence.

 

Louis wished this conversation was over so his head could stop hurting.

 

"No, I can...well what do you need?" Harry posed instead.

 

"We should probably hold hands," Louis began. "Maybe a little kissing as we get to the car...probably lean up on the door a little, some giggling," he suggested.

 

"I can do that," Harry nodded once, tense with unease.

 

"Like, have you ever...?" Louis wondered lightly.

 

Harry blinked, clearing his throat.

 

"Once."

 

Louis let out a breath.

 

"So, you know how it feels right, straight after, when you're all pumped and happy and feel like a fucking sex-god," Louis described, relaxing now that he felt Harry could pull this off. "Just think of that, remember what it was like and pretend it was with me," he finished, almost adding 'simple'.

 

Only Louis knew better than that really. Nothing was simple where this long-haired stretch of beauty was concerned.

 

Harry licked his lips.

 

"Right...I'll rub my lips so they look red and my cheeks so I looked flushed..."

 

Louis looked at him, impressed.

 

"So you do know how to lie," he teased.

 

Harry smirked.

 

"Well-"

 

"You should put your jeans back on for now and leave the button undone. We can pick up some new stuff at the next place we get to..."

 

"You can get some sleep, too," Harry added.

 

Louis nodded.

 

"That's right."

 

"Louis?"

 

"Hm?"

 

"How long until they catch up with us?"

 

Louis swallowed, eyes slipping from the distance to the bonnet of the car.

 

"I'm not sure," he husked.

 

Harry fidgeted.

 

"You are," he accused softly.

 

Louis looked over, holding the topaz gaze of his passenger for seconds too long before turning back to the road. Harry didn't look nervous at his driving which was some small miracle.

 

"We probably have a day or so," he admitted.

 

Harry nodded, sucking his upper lip into his mouth with his lower teeth pinned over it.

 

"And then what do we do?"

 

"We run," Louis stretched a smile across his lips that didn't come anywhere near happy.

 

The fact Louis agreed to a 'we' was surprising to Harry, he still expected the sleek guy to dump him and run for the hills. The fact that Louis appeared to have a code of honour was unsettling in his assumption that Louis was in fact a 'bad guy'.

 

They went over the plan in more detail until Louis was happy that Harry felt confident in his part and if Liam called him to check in the final details, it wasn't Louis' place to update him on the scenario since it was all perfectly under control.

 

He gave Harry one last glance as the gas stop came into view.

 

"You ready, princess?" Louis asked.

 

Harry scowled at him.

 

"I'm not a fucking Princess..."

 

"You like diamonds and ball gowns, I thought it fit you perfectly," he mused.

 

"Don't be a dick," Harry sighed.

 

Louis smirked.

 

"I'll try..."

 

"Operation 'Hitchhike with a guy I just fucked' commencing..." Harry muttered under his breath as they pulled up and he slipped into the back seat foot well to hide while Louis tugged on a cap and popped the door to fill up.

 

Harry slipped out the back and headed for the restroom in the dark around the back, praying that no other guys were looking for a quick fuck tonight.

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone who is messaging :)
> 
> Ang

Even though he was a CEO of a successful charity;  and had lived an embattled life so far due his sexuality, Harry was still pretty pure in other respects and when Louis had asked him if he'd ever fucked a guy he'd just met he felt like he was failing some kind of life test by saying no. 

 

And he wasn't great at handling attention.  Which is how he came to be hiding in one of the cubicles after a leather clad bike rider had come in while he was urinating,  greeting him with a 'hey pretty'.

 

It hadn't stopped there though, the guy had pushed into his stall and stood in front of him as he sat on the toilet seat looking up eyes wide and lips pressed together.  It didn't help that he'd made his hitchhiker sign and looked a lot like a twink waiting to picked up.

 

"Need a ride then sweet cheeks?" The leathered guy asked.

 

He was kind of old really. Harry was tall and probably capable of knocking him out with his boxing expertise but the plan that he and Louis made didn't include fighting and possible police attention. 

 

"I've got a ride," Harry husked.

 

"Your mouth, boy," the guys eyes glimmered hungrily and Harry frowned. 

 

He lifted his wrist to showcase his bracelet.

 

"I'm celibate, " he smirked. 

 

"Just open your mouth and I'll pop it in," the guy grinned. "Don't need to fuck ya..."

 

Harry did open his mouth but in shock.  He went to stand up in the small space between him and the biker but the guy pressed on his shoulder pushing him down again.

 

Harry's eyes darkened and his breath quickened. He almost wretched as the panic swelled in his chest but there was a whoosh sound as the toilet door was pushed open and he prayed that it was Louis pushing into the bathroom.

 

"Hey beautiful where did you get to?" Louis' light husked voice called out.

 

Harry glared at the biker.

 

"I think you better move, " Harry suggested. 

 

The guy smirked leaning back to see Louis who Harry still couldn't see from his position. 

 

"He's cheating on you, short stuff," the guy said and Harry stood up now he had space.

 

"Just back off creep," Harry husked.

 

"Not till you've sucked me dry Cherub," he stipulated and if Harry had ever doubted Louis' strength then the next few moments would have reassured him.

 

Harry didn't exactly appreciate Louis being referred to as short stuff but he could tell Louis minded even more. He grasped the guy by the shoulders to yank him out of the stall and pushed him down sharply, cracking his temple against the edge of the sink. The guy passed out immediately and Harry o'd his mouth, flicking looks between his unconscious body and the heavy-breathing of Louis. 

 

"Is he...?"

 

Louis' eyes were dark as he grabbed Harry's hand. He'd given his clothes to the decoy and changed into black jeans and a t-shirt, beanie pulled over his hair.

 

"He's out for the count," he assured Harry as he pulled him toward the door.

 

"But he'll wake up right?" Harry looked behind him nervously feeling like an accessory to murder.

 

"Unfortunately, " Louis mused. "I'm not into killing people, " he added pointedly. 

 

"Well you threatened to shoot me," Harry accused softly as Louis reached the door. 

 

"Shoot. Not kill," Louis clarified.

 

Harry frowned. Was there a difference?  He didn't have time to consider it because Louis was tugging on his hand.

 

"You ready? "

 

Harry nodded.

 

"Happy, yeah? Giggly...I'll stop by the passenger door and kiss you...you can get in after that."

 

"Okay ready, " he assured even though his breath was tight in his lungs.

 

Louis led the way. Harry put on the act of his life smiling at him as Louis strode by his side.

 

"You wait princess I'll give you the ride of your life..." Louis promised loudly. 

 

Harry caught him up leaned into his side with a convincing giggle. 

 

"Every motel we'll stop and fuck if you like..."

 

Harry pushed his lips to Louis ear, murmuring something which shouldn't have made Louis stutter but it did. 

 

"You mean make love..."

 

Of course no one could hear Harry but Louis had to hitch a breath and push a smile back onto his lips. Luckily his flushed cheeks didn't need to be faked.

 

"I'll show you the world if you like," Louis promised as he wrapped an arm around Harry's waist and Harry convincingly ducked into his neck kissing there.

 

They reached the car and Louis crowded Harry up against the passenger door as planned.  If he was a little breathless when he next spoke it had nothing to do with Harry's lips on his neck.

 

Louis lifted his chin, pressing into Harry's body as his hands splayed on his torso, fanning out his fingers slightly. 

 

"I'm going to kiss you," he said and really Harry was waiting for it.

 

He was so into the moment the act almost felt real. Louis felt real. He was hot and his breaths were panting out in staccato bursts, the heat of his breath tightening the skin against Harry's face and his eyes were so intense, Harry could hardly remember what they were doing here or why.

 

It felt like everything slowed down in that moment, everything went from being frantic and frightening and urgent and just became a floating sea of parts. The car behind him, the gas-station shop, the sound of voices far away. Harry's ears were roaring and his heart was throbbing and it had a lot to do with the fact that Louis' soft-looking pink lips were headed his way. He didn't wait to be kissed, he swooped down and connected their mouths to get this over with. He was sure it was going to be pure, sweet hell for him and just plain awkward hell for Louis and he wasn't sure how long they had to stay that way for it to be convincing but he was pretty sure Louis didn't strictly need to cup his neck and run his hands into his hair as he pushed up to harden the kiss.

 

If one of them pulled away, it wasn't clear which, but it was triggered by a wolf-whistle and loud, obnoxious 'Oo-ee look at them gay boys!' from across the forecourt.

 

Louis snapped his head toward the voices, eyes narrowed as if assessing the danger.

 

"Get in," he murmured to Harry and if his voice was low and ruined and his breath caught in his throat, it wasn't because he'd just kissed Harry.

 

Jesus fuck.

 

Louis was in trouble. Big, huge trouble. He'd entirely forgotten a world existed outside of his and Harry's bodies when he'd leaned into him that way and he might have been able to appreciate that Harry was attractive guy before, but now there was something to base that on, something real and hot and-

 

 _Fuck it all to hell_.

 

Sexy. Harry was sexy. And he shouldn't be, at all. He was celibate, for fuck's sake. Was a nervous wreck half the time and a pain in his side for the rest and he absolutely definitely could not be sexy. It was-

 

Louis snapped-to as the heckler whooped across the tarmac to him and he stalked across to the drivers side of the car, slipping in with a sharp slam of his door. He pushed his belt into the buckle-lock and started it up, familiarising himself with the controls before he pulled off. Louis looked determinedly out of the window as he asked;

 

"You okay?"

 

Harry-who had been biting his swollen lower lip- glanced at him.

 

"Yeah," he breathed, going back to worrying his lips between his teeth.

 

Louis realised he didn't have time to plush his lips or warm his cheeks before their little act but then it didn't really matter because Harry looked perfectly wrecked now and all they'd done was kiss. Louis tried not to think about it-or the hard reaction in his lap from that one innocent kiss as he pulled away.

 

//

 

Maybe he hadn't thought through his plan quite properly, Louis considered as he booked in at the pre-arranged motel, the room of course being a double since Liam would have no inclination to swap it for a twin. And the motel didn't have any free rooms, either. Funny that.

 

Louis sighed and rolled his eyes as he carried in his holdall, dropping it by the foot of the bed.

 

"Right, there's a clothes outlet just across the parking lot, you can go first and pick out what you want," Louis began, ignoring the ache of tiredness in his bones as he pulled out bills from his wallet.

 

Harry frowned, pulling his own wallet out of his jeans pocket to wave it.

 

"I have my own money," he argued.

 

"Cash?" Louis checked.

 

When Harry swallowed he pushed the bills toward him.

 

"I'm going to change my appearance a bit before I go over there too and then you can pick what to have for dinner if you like..."

 

"Louis?"

 

Louis turned to look at Harry then, who was stood just inside the door, a little lost and confused.

 

"Are we sharing the bed?" He asked then.

 

Louis blinked, pressing his lips together.

 

"No, I'm taking the floor, you're alright, Princess," he assured, trying to lighten the moment.

 

Truth was nothing felt light since that kiss everything felt heavy. And hot and...itchy. Louis actually twisted his body like he had ants in his pants.

 

"I need a shower," he said to fill the gap.

 

He didn't wait for Harry to speak before he went.

 

//

 

Louis was beard-free. And his hair was flipped back off his face in an arch to one side; the length and style and lack of facial hair changing his look enough for people to double-take if they knew him. He went into his duffle bag, added a stud to his ear and a chain around his neck, along with a matching chain bracelet.

 

He sat on the edge of the bed and sank his face into his hands with a sigh as he thought about what came next.

 

From Portland they had to go a little further north before cutting across and heading west for the mountains. Louis suspected the gang following them would be tailing behind and would catch them up in the morning, meaning they needed to leave at sun-rise to get a good start. He thought he could probably stuff Harry in the rear foot well again until the gang eased off. Liam was in contact, texting him information but even his excellent side-kick didn't know where the gang was right now, just that they were engaged in pursuit and looking to obtain the jewels to sell on the black market to the highest bidder.

 

Louis knew all about the black market. He'd felt like a possession himself any time he'd gotten involved with those kinds of deals and he knew that humans were bought and sold with the same lack of emotion as every other valuable artefact. He'd managed to escape those clutches fairly unscathed but he couldn't deny he had a past.

 

A past that had started out on the wrong side of righteous and ended up here, saving the world one heist at a time.

 

He didn't hear the door click, didn't hear the soft footsteps cross the room and he pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes and sucked in a deep breath only to shudder it out.

 

"Louis?" Harry quickly sat beside him, slipping an arm around his back. "Are you okay?"

 

Louis had startled at his name being called, even more so at Harry's proximity. He shot up off the bed, clearing his throat.

 

"I'm fine," he lied, closing his eyes where Harry couldn't see while he had his back to him. If fine meant remembering exactly how he came to be so good at this professional stealing stuff. If fine meant the dark memories that went with some of those escapades.

 

"I got some clothes like you said. Stuff I'd never wear..."

 

Louis turned at the rustling of a bag, watching Harry pull out blue jeans and flowery shirts, followed by head-scarves in several colours.

 

"I just asked the girl to give me the gayest stuff she had," he admitted.

 

Louis couldn't help it. His lips broke into an unexpected smile. A genuine one.

 

"Remind me later and I'll braid your hair," he offered dryly.

 

Harry tilted his head and gave him a rueful look.

 

"Very funny," he hummed lowly.

 

"Okay guess I better go do the same," he arched a brow.

 

Harry tilted his head deeper toward his shoulder.

 

"You have an earring?"

 

Louis smirked.

 

"Sometimes."

 

"And your hair is flipped back..."

 

He shrugged.

 

"The art of disguise..."

 

Harry bit into his lower lip and Louis struggled not to follow the action with his eyes, his memory recalling the feel of that lip beneath his. Both of those lips in fact. Both of those devastating lips, hot and soft and wanton upon his only hours ago...

 

"I like it," Harry decided of Louis' new look.

 

"Well don't get too used to it I have to think of something else for our next pit stop," he warned, shirking off the intensity of the moment.

 

"Oh, can I be a biker next time?" Harry asked.

 

Louis looked at him.

 

"Nah, I like the tourist look," he winked before he turned toward the door and headed out.

 

//

 

Harry chose Chinese for dinner. They ate messily from boxes and stashed up food for the next day or so in the back of the car.

 

He'd showered and changed into some of his new items and had washed out his worn ones to hang them on the radiator to dry. Louis let him put the TV on and Harry lay on the bed on his stomach watching it while Louis went about making his bed on the floor.

 

"You don't have to sleep down there," Harry said as Louis flapped out a sheet.

 

Louis smirked. _He mostly certainly did have to sleep down here_. If he had any hope of forgetting that kiss.

 

"Look, today's been pretty intense," Louis mused, sneaking a blanket to fold up as a mattress. He'd slept on worse. "I'll just leave you to stretch out on the double while I get my power-sleep down here. Wouldn't want your gangly arms and freakishly long legs to disturb me in the night," he added amusedly.

 

"Freakishly-" Harry gaped, snapping off the TV with the remote. "Hey, some people like the fact I'm tall," he argued.

 

Louis tucked a smile into the side of his mouth.

 

"Name one..."

 

His eyes were alight with mischief, warm with teasing. But Harry still fell for it. He might be an executive but he was twenty-years-old. Louis was three years his senior and had too much life experience to keep that naiveté intact.

 

"My mom," Harry selected.

 

"Doesn't count. She'd love you if you were a skyscraper..."

 

"That guy in the toilet," Harry added pointedly.

 

"You think he liked your legs?" Louis scoffed. "Jesus Harry, how old are you again?"

 

"My ex," Harry folded his arms as he settled back against the headboard.

 

"He's your _ex_ ," Louis said as if highlighting the fact this person also didn't count.

 

"He didn't dump me for being tall though did he?" Harry cast.

 

Louis tilted his head, brows raising.

 

"I don't know, didn't he?"

 

"No he dumped me because I-" Harry paused, a frown flickering across his face.

 

"Because?" Louis prompted anyway.

 

"Because I'm frigid, apparently," he said, his throat thick with emotion.

 

Louis froze, his breath froze, everything froze.

 

"W-what?" Louis stuttered out, choking on the word.

 

Harry shrugged.

 

"He wanted it like, all the time and I didn't. He said I was frigid."

 

"You know you're not though, right?" Louis checked, surprised at Harry sharing this rather intimate detail about himself. He blamed the beer he'd let Harry order.

 

"Yeah..." Harry nodded, curling onto the mattress.

 

"Okay, I take it back," Louis started out of his shock to go back to his teasing. "People like your freaky long legs, I get it."

 

Harry managed a half-hearted smile.

 

"Louis?"

 

"Hm?" Louis glanced at the bed while he plumped up pillows. Harry looked tired, still even though he'd slept fitfully in the car.

 

"You won't leave me here will you? You won't go without me?"

 

Louis glanced at Harry's pocket where he'd tucked the jewels.

 

"I can't without the jewellery can I?" He replied.

 

"You won't steal it will you?" Harry asked next, quiet and begging.

 

Louis knew he was more than capable of stealing the bag from Harry's pocket- or even from his pants if that's where he ended up hiding them again- and driving out of this place hours before the curly-haired guy was even awake. And he knew he should, he knew that should be his plan and everything else should be forgotten. But somehow, right now, hearing his deep husky voice and weak pleading made Louis want to take Harry everywhere, on every adventure he had as long as it didn't involve ball-bearing guns and first degree burns.

 

"Go to sleep, Princess," Louis said in lieu of a promise. "I'll wake you up at dawn and you better not be moody..."

 

Louis made out Harry's faint smile.

 

"Goodnight Louis," Harry called softly.

 

"Sweet dreams Cinderella," Louis called back, shuffling into his self-made bed.

 

//

 

They'd had to leave in a flurry of quietly skidded tires, the gang having headed straight for reception while Louis kept watch while packing up.

 

Harry was obediently curled in the rear foot well while Louis drove for his life- again.

 

He'd given Harry his spare bullet-proof vest and it didn't exactly fit but they'd had to squeeze him into it and cut lines up the sides so he could actually breath.

 

"Let's hope I don't get shot in the side," Harry had joked.

 

Louis had pinned him with a dark stare and flat-line of lips and told him it wasn't funny.

 

Louis waited until the BMW was far enough back for it to be a distant memory before checking his rear-view mirror. The gang wouldn't know it was them unless for the time they were leaving the motel so they may have a little grace with that but still; it seemed they had inside intelligence too because Louis could see the car threading in and out, keeping an eye on them. He sighed.

 

"Haz, you alright back there?"

 

"Mm-hmm," Harry nodded, knelt in a protective ball over the divide.

 

"You sure?" Louis checked.

 

"Feel sick," Harry said.

 

Louis twisted his lips.

 

"Hey look, anytime you want to get out, you just have to say the word okay? No misplaced loyalty or anything. You just go when it gets too much, alright?"

 

Harry was quiet for a minute. Louis wondered if he was actually going to puke.

 

"I'm coming to Virginia, Louis," he said and his voice was stronger than before, his determination back.

 

"Good," Louis nodded, checking his mirrors. "Now I just need to work out how the fuck to lose these morons..."

 

Harry shuffled onto his side.

 

"There's a shortcut that goes across country," he began. "Me and my friend Niall took it when we went to stay in the mountains."

 

"The back road?" Louis checked. He also knew the roads as well as anyone but he'd never considered it because it was the type of road you'd film a horror film on- winding with often steep drops, dark and unlit and with barely any civilisation to boast of. But easier to hide.

 

He dialled Liam, phone to his ear as he asked about pit-stops on the back road. By the time he'd finished the call he knew where they were going to be staying and how long it would take to get there. He pulled into the next lane to make it look like he was going straight on.

 

"Do you think I'm crazy?" Harry asked then and Louis wondered what had made him ask.

 

He had a little bit of road to waste before he had to pull his manoeuvre.

 

"A little bit, yeah," he admitted with an amused grin.

 

"Like on a scale of 1-10," Harry posed.

 

"Maybe a five?" Louis pin-pointed.

 

"Really?" Harry sounded delighted. "I was expecting a twelve."

 

"You get a twelve in everything else," Louis offered and instantly regretted his words. They just slipped out of his mouth without his permission and he couldn't stuff them back in.

 

"Except for my freaky legs. Minus two for those," he teased right back.

 

"No, they're a twelve too," Louis murmured as he pretended to fiddle with the radio.

 

"So how would I get a crazy ten?" Harry wondered.

 

Louis swallowed. He'd never really told anyone about his crusades, not even Liam. It was a bit like being in the army and not wanting to share the bitterness, the pain and struggle he had to endure to make his mark. But something about Harry made him want to.

 

"Okay, you think you're crazy?" He posed. "What about stealing unique gold coins from a pirate ship in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean that you've just escaped from and you're being pulled under water every few feet and you've got a gash on your calf from a hungry shark nipping at your heels and you're sure this is it, you're going to die, right here but its going to be worth it because you saved the treasure, right? You got the treasure if only you can make it-"

 

Louis yanked the steering wheel hard, veering the car across the road with a slight squeal under the tyres and a few horn blasts for his last-minute move. Harry was pushed into the door, shoulders hunching as he waited both for the car to straighten up and for Louis to finish his story.

 

He felt the car glide into the filter lane and heard Louis' quickened breathing. He likened it to how Louis' breathed after their kiss, hot and hard and tight and Harry hated himself for remembering that right now when they were probably in so much danger.

 

"They sailed right past," Louis supplied with a relieved breath out.

 

Harry waited for him to speak again ad when he didn't, he gave him a prompt.

 

"Louis, how did you make it out of the ocean?" He wondered.

 

"Oh!" Louis laughed then, breathy and loud. "Sorry...er, yeah so you're practically drowning and being chewed alive by Jaws just for some gold coins, now that's crazy," he finished.

 

"How did you escape?" Harry asked again, worry tainting his tone even though Louis was sat there in one piece.

 

Louis blinked, licked his lips.

 

"There was a safe boat, it was all good..."

 

Harry sat up a bit in the foot well, slipping onto the backseat when Louis didn't stop him.

 

"They got you from the ocean?" Harry wondered.

 

Louis cleared his throat.

 

"They found me on the shore of a deserted island the next morning," he admitted; quieter now.

 

Harry frowned at him, lips pressed together.

 

"And? Were you okay?"

 

Louis forced a smile.

 

"I was dehydrated and my leg was bleeding and I was unconscious for four days but yeah-obviously I was okay," he winked in the mirror.

 

Harry folded his arms across his chest, apparently not appeased by that.

 

"You took a big risk." He said.

 

Louis nodded with a rueful smile.

 

"Yeah...I think I'm a superhero, see? Never realise my own humanity until it's too late."

 

"I'm glad I came with you now," Harry murmured and Louis tilted his head.

 

"What? Why? I can do this stuff with my eyes closed..."

 

"Doesn't mean you should be doing it alone," Harry argued gently.

 

He didn't know Louis, not really. But he sort of maybe got the feeling that part of the reason that Louis had even let him tag along on this dangerous trip was because he didn't want to be alone either.

 

Louis kept his gaze in the mirror for a second too long.

 

"I guess nobody ever worried about that before," he offered.

 

Harry actually huffed. Louis was amazed at the sound. And the fact someone was expressing it in regard to worrying for his welfare. Okay his mom did regularly yell him off for his heists but she didn't know about 90% of it... he could only imagine what she would do if she did. And well...there was nobody else to care, really.

 

"What about your boyfriend?" Harry asked.

 

"Don't have one," Louis smiled smugly.

 

"Because of this?" He checked.

 

Louis shrugged. "It's kind of hard to date me."

 

"Hm, I can see that," Harry commented, now on his back looking at the roof of the car.

 

Louis couldn't see his face but he could hear every inflection in his deep, rich voice.

 

"You don't have to worry about me, Princess. I've been doing this for five years and I'm happy. I don't need a guy telling me what to do..." he mused.

 

"What about love?" Harry posed.

 

Louis arched a brow in the mirror.

 

"Okay, look, this is-I don't even know what this is but it's not up to you to worry about," Louis insisted. "You can get in the front if you like," he added to soften his defensive response to Harry's probing.

 

Harry looked over.

 

"You sure its safe?"

 

"I lost them ten miles ago," he assured.

 

"Alright then," Harry sat up and clambered into the front, his butt rubbing Louis' hair as he slid past, just the same as yesterday.

 

Louis combed his hair back without saying anything. His cheeks may have bloomed a light pink but nobody needed to know.

 

//

 

Louis knew very little about Harry. He knew he was a CEO, knew he was gay, that he was tall and had curly hair and smelled like musk and cookies and kissed like an absolute fucking demon-

 

But he didn't know all that much about him.

 

"So tell me about your charity," Louis invited as he settled into his seat for the he next stretch of driving.

 

He pinched his earlobe between thumb and finger and tugged, the stud there turning slightly in the hole.

 

Harry looked over. He'd been curled toward the window, elbow propped on the door rest and head in hand. He blinked a couple of times.

 

"It's called Straight Up and its for twelve to eighteen-year-olds who need help with sexuality issues," Harry began slowly.

 

Louis nodded.

 

"Sounds good. So what do you do?" He wondered.

 

Harry sat up a bit, apparently surprised to be asked about this.

 

"We do assemblies in schools, run workshops, offer counselling, run fundraisers..."

 

"Like the fashion show," Louis inserted.

 

"Yeah," Harry nodded.

 

"What will you wear with your gown now?" Louis teased.

 

Harry smiled softly.

 

"You don't think they'll lend me the diamonds then?" he teased right back.

 

Louis lifted his brows with a purse of his lips that only accentuated his cheekbones even more-especially without beard to hide them.

 

"I think you could persuade them to rent out their whole damn collection to be honest," Louis mused and Harry shot him a bemused look.

 

"Don't think I'm that charming," he denied.

 

Louis bit his lower lip to stop himself answering. Something like 'should be your middle name', because Louis would definitely not have let anyone else get away with tagging along for this trip.

 

"When's the big catwalk then?" Louis asked.

 

"Next weekend," Harry supplied.

 

"Picked your dress yet?" Louis' eyes sparkled as he turned his grin toward Harry.

 

Harry flicked his eyes over his partner in crime and wondered why Louis looked so damn happy about that idea. Harry thought anyone- even gay-would have found him odd to want to wear a dress and some guys even found the feminisation a turn-off. Louis looked like he'd won three lotteries and a boat.

 

"No, I'm having one made by my friend, he's a dress-maker." Harry shared.

 

"Probably best with your height," Louis nodded.

 

"And my shoulders don't fit women's clothes well, apparently. My hips strangely fare better..."

 

Louis didn't want to think about Harry's hips, really. His hips, his belly or anything in that region, frankly. He was still getting over that damn stupid kiss. He could kick himself for ever coming up with that plan.

 

"So, are you alright?" Louis remembered to ask, belatedly, adding, "After what happened in the bathroom?"

 

Harry darted him a look. Louis looked across and their gazes met. There were long moments of just looking before Louis looked away back to the road and Harry wondered what Louis would do without the distraction driving- _if_ he would do anything.

 

"I'm okay," Harry nodded. "I could have knocked him out with my right hook but I thought it might cause unwanted attention," he added softly.

 

Louis reached across with his hand and it had nowhere to land but Harry's thigh. Harry felt the heat of Louis' palm instantly against his jean-clad skin. It felt like his hand was warming his blood up, one beat at a time.

 

"Harry, I want you to know that when it comes to your safety nothing else matters okay? _Nothing_. You're not to hold off for fear, alright?" Louis insisted. "Promise me?"

 

"Promise you what?" Harry husked with a frown, not sure of the terms.

 

He didn't make promises lightly, he wasn't going to give Louis an empty one.

 

"Promise me you'll always put yourself first," Louis posed.

 

Harry scoffed.

 

"I'm not promising that," he argued lightly.

 

"Harry," Louis tightened his hand slightly with a sigh. "This isn't one of those times you get to be polite and chivalrous. You need to stay safe. You leave me behind if you need to, you cause attention of you need to. Whatever it takes to get you out."

 

"I'm not going to leave you behind," Harry denied, frowning. "I couldn't."

 

"But _I_ don't matter, don't you get it?" Louis begged. "Even the fucking diamonds don't matter. You do. You have many wonderful things to do in this world and none of what happens in my world even comes close. You cut and go if it comes to it," he repeated. "Promise me..."

 

Harry folded his arms across his chest not unlike a sulky five-year old and sunk into his seat.

 

"I don't make promises I can't keep."

 

"Then keep it!" Louis seethed, his eyes glowing with anger once more.

 

Harry wondered momentarily if they glowed with passion, too. Or did they just darken? Become big and intense and seductive?

 

"I'm not leaving you behind, Louis," Harry stated again.

 

Louis slammed the wheel, frustrated by Harry's stubbornness. He had no idea how much danger sentimentality could get him in and Louis did, was risking a million 'what ifs' by even letting Harry be here right now. And if Louis got injured-or worse- then Harry shouldn't be brave about it, he should run.

 

But something-

 

Fuck, what _was_ that?

 

Something unfurled in Louis' chest expanding until he felt breathless in an overwhelmed way. It was warm and sweet and felt a lot like the moment before he came, a blissful ease crossing his body entirely. Was he having a heart-attack? A seizure? Maybe Harry had injected him or drugged his drink. Either way he felt light headed and he didn't like it one bit. Someone actually gave a shit about what happened to him and Louis didn't like it at all.

 

"You have Stockholm Syndrome," Louis decided with an abrupt nod of his head, jaw tight.

 

Harry actually giggled.

 

"I have _what_?!"

 

"Stockholm Syndrome...it's when kidnapees feel empathy towards their captors..."

 

"Louis, you're not holding me against my will," Harry pointed out.

 

"Well, it must be that. Otherwise why would you?" He asked lightly, his words tilting toward insane in the next breath. "Why THE FUCK would you even consider saving me over yourself? It's psychotic, that's what it is," Louis accused.

 

Harry shook his head and looked out of the window, arms still folded.

 

"You don't get it," he mumbled and Louis thought no, he really didn't get it at all. Not even one tiny bit.

 

"You think anyone else cares what happens to me?" Louis asked, tight and hard. His eyes were cold and Harry shivered. "Do you really think anyone else would drop back to save my ass?"

 

Harry shrugged.

 

" _I_ would. That's all that matters. I want to be the kind of person that would." Harry stated resolutely.

 

"Right, point proven, you're that kind of guy. Now don't be a complete lunatic and do the right thing if the need ever arises. You get yourself out," he enunciated precisely.

 

"You can't make me," Harry bounced back and Louis snatched his hand off Harry's thigh to fist in his hair, quite tempted to pull the damn lot out.

 

"I knew I should have shot you in Bakersfield," Louis muttered to himself, running a hand over his face as he steered with the other.

 

But he gave up arguing because he knew he would never win this battle and the harder he pushed the more stubborn Harry got.

 

The car was quiet as they drove on, filling up briefly before heading to their second motel.

 


	4. Chapter 4

There was another car to swap that Liam had organised and Louis let the exchange go ahead while he and Harry booked into their next double room. He left Harry to organise some dinner and snacks for the road while he bought some black dye and coloured his hair over the bathroom sink.

 

He decided to regrow his stubble, took out his earring and tugged out a neckerchief to wear tomorrow. Louis looked in the mirror and realised his eyes popped blue with the extra darkness in his hair. He'd have to slip on shades to lessen that effect. No good being instantly memorable if someone was following with his description.

 

They ate take-out together on the bed, Louis propped on the headboard with a magasine in one hand and Harry curled on the mattress scoffing their fare.

 

"You can share the bed tonight," Harry offered quietly into the room.

 

Louis bypassed his comment for a moment, not wanting to consider the consequences of sharing a bed with Harry.

 

"Did you know that there's an actual phobia called anatidaephobia and it's where you're scared that a duck is watching you?" He read aloud with a furrow of his brows.

 

Harry spat out laughter, followed by a little giggle.

 

"No, really?" He checked.

 

Louis nodded, bringing his gaze to the beautiful creature curled on the bed. He might have guessed that it would end up this way. It was the reason Louis didn't let anyone tag along. Because he got attached to people far too quickly and far too easily. As much as his professional facade and cool demeanour went to deny that fact, Louis was a big, warm-hearted person under it all and it wasn't so easy to deny that side of himself. And he was in real trouble here. Because he was genuinely coming to like Harry.

 

And the hot, soft way he kissed.

 

"Hm, how weird is that? Being scared of a duck..."

 

"From the fearless Louis Tomlinson himself," Harry twinkled with a dimpled smile to show he was teasing.

 

The tension from the car earlier had dissipated with each mouthful of Chinese.

 

"Hey, I fear," Louis assured amusedly.

 

"You were chased by a shark," Harry arched a brow.

 

"Well, he didn't kill me," Louis excused.

 

"You have a scar from the nibble?" Harry wondered then with interest.

 

Louis rolled his eyes. He had about a hundred scars. Hence why he didn't get undressed very often. He rolled up his jeans cuff to show him the teeth marks on his calf.

 

"There," he pointed to two big white almond shapes that were dimpled from being so deep.

 

Harry flicked him a look with big green eyes, a little dig forming above his brow.

 

"You swam with that?" He awed.

 

Louis shrugged, leaning back on the headboard while Harry sat up, crossing his legs.

 

"Yeah, you can do anything with adrenaline in your veins."

 

Harry nodded, quiet for a moment.

 

"Your hair is taking some getting used to," he said then, softer, warmer.

 

Louis noted the deliberate change away from discussing his adventures. He wondered briefly if he came across as defensive and unwilling to talk about it.

 

"Yeah," Louis ruffled his hair with a free hand, smirking. "Be all bad boy dark."

 

Harry gazed at him.

 

"Your eyes look really blue..."

 

Louis darted him a look. So he'd noticed that too.

 

"I'll wear shades," he assured.

 

Harry licked his lips, capturing the lower one between his teeth.

 

"So can I wear the same stuff still?" He wondered.

 

Louis nodded.

 

"They haven't seen you so you'll be okay," he assured.

 

Harry nodded and rolled to the edge of the bed, carefully taking off his necklace and laying it on the night stand.

 

"I'm gonna shower up," he announced, leaving Louis to pick at the leftovers while he tried to ignore the heavy patter of the shower.

 

The trouble was, hearing Harry showering made Louis _imagine_ Harry showering and god only knew what was making his brain turn this crazy shade of madness but he was attracted to the gorgeous guy and he couldn't exactly deny that fact.

 

He wondered if Harry had to curl his shoulders in to fit in the small space the motel showers offered. He wondered if his skin was pale all over his body or if he had tan-marks of some kind. He wondered if Harry was as muscular as his clothes hinted at and if his hair always did that spiral-curl thing at the bottom when it was damp.

 

Louis ran a placating heel of his hand down the ridge of his dick, biting his lower lip to muffle the tiny little whine that appeared in his throat. Of all the things that had his dick twitching- of all the things about Harry that could make a guy hard- he wondered why it was his curls that had the most effect.

 

The bathroom door opened in a flourish and Louis had to snatch a pillow to push into his lap to hide his growing erection. If he'd hoped to tug out a quick orgasm, he'd be severely disappointed.

 

And then there was Harry. Louis was sure he must be an exhibitionist.

 

As if wearing a goddamn dress on a catwalk wasn't showy enough, he loped out of the bathroom in just his boxers. And-

 

And Louis' mouth was dry. The driest it had ever been. His tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth and that reaction in his jeans surged into life; pushing for freedom against his fly.

 

Fuck!

 

Harry was-

 

 _Incredible_. If the word even did him justice. Long limbs, beautiful alabaster skin unblemished wrapping up soft strong muscle and decorated with art. Harry liked tattoos. Louis had seen it, of course but-

 

Well, his gaze was fixed at Harry's navel and his eyes seemed to refuse to budge. Harry had to loveliest stomach Louis had ever seen. He pictured his dick rutting up against that muscled expanse, imagined decorating it with more than ink.

 

He closed his eyes and prayed that Harry was getting dressed in the next two point five seconds before his erection got out of control.

 

Just a guy, LT, he told himself. Just a Princess with a conscience...

 

"M'Tired," Harry drawled as Louis felt a dip in the bed.

 

 

No, no, no.

 

Harry could not be intending to sleep in just his boxers?! What kind of punishment _was_ this?

 

Louis wrapped his hand around the ridge that pushed against his jeans; his hand hidden under his pillow as he leaned back, eyes closed. He swallowed hard.

 

"I think I should take the floor," he offered huskily, admonishing his throat for being so damn tight.

 

Harry who had been facing away, leaned back to look at him.

 

"Don't be silly, we're both adults..."

 

 _That was kind of the problem_ , Louis mused. Both well-formed, good-looking adults. Adults with needs. Louis maybe more so from the lack of action lately but that was more to do with wanting more than a quick fuck than a lack of offers.

 

And hadn't Harry said he only had sex with people he was in love with?

 

So Louis couldn't even fuck him if he wanted to. That thought helped him to talk down his arousal. No sex with the tempting Harry because he didn't do that. Harry didn't fuck smart-mouthed little shits who tried to get themselves killed on a daily basis. He saved himself for nice boys who cuddled him to sleep and said 'I love you'.

 

Louis took his pajamas to the bathroom to change, giving himself a time out before he rejoined Harry in the bed. He would like to say he got to sleep but that would be a lie.

 

He was all too-aware of the soft, even breaths of his bed-partner, could feel the heat emanating from Harry's big body behind him. Louis was in trouble and he needed help to get out of it. He drifted off; considering owning up to Liam about his mistake.

 

It might be the only way to save Harry's life.

 

//

 

Morning didn't allow for leisurely rising.

 

Louis had woken every hour to check for new customers coming into the parking lot and his shoulders sagged as a familiar BMW parked up. It was 3am and Harry was still fast asleep as he stirred him awake.

 

Not ten minutes ago Louis had woken from his light nap to find himself wrapped protectively around Harry's form and he blamed his paranoia for that unconscious activity. Luckily Harry wasn't aware of that little slip.

 

"Harry? Harry, we have to move..." Louis hummed, dragging on his clothes and throwing their things into bags quickly, not caring whose things landed in which holdall.

 

"Hm?" Harry woke with a start, sharp breath in through his nose.

 

"They're here," Louis breathed, trying to regulate his pounding heart and failing.

 

He was trying so hard to keep things calm for his partner in crime but he couldn't hide his annoyance at the fact their followers were onto them so quickly. He'd really hoped they'd got a good cushion of time ahead of them and now they were here already, it didn't make him happy. It made him less happy that Harry was at risk.

 

Harry was up and dressing as Louis hovered by the door, flicking the curtain to check for activity outside.

 

"This is your chance to stay safe," Louis said then, sucking in a breath.

 

Harry was tying a scarf in his hair as he shook his head, walking toward Louis.

 

"No, it's my chance to keep _you_ safe," he countered.

 

Louis gritted his teeth but didn't reply, knowing now was not the time to argue.

 

"Okay, let's go," he reached for Harry's hand, folding his around it. "Young couple, cheap motel for the night," he added in explanation of their roles.

 

Harry nodded, wishing Louis was taking his hand for real. They slipped out, Louis popping the boot to stash their bags as Harry slipped into the passenger seat. They got as far as the exit, rolling quietly down with no engine before Harry gasped, hand flying to his throat.

 

"My cross!" He husked, wide panicked eyes darting to Louis.

 

"What?" Louis turned toward him.

 

"My necklace, I left it on the nightstand!" Harry expressed.

 

Louis arched a brow.

 

"Are you kidding me?" He sighed.

 

"My grandmother...she gave me it...she passed away three years ago..." He muttered brokenly.

 

Louis swallowed. He was about to do the stupidest thing he maybe had ever done. He reached behind Harry's chair and looked over his shoulder, easing his foot off the break to roll back down toward the room. He didn't park outside, he left the car a few feet away hidden by bushes and popped the door.

 

"Right, let's go," he instructed and Louis knew.

 

He knew he should be pushing Harry out of the car and driving off, he knew he should be finding any way to dump Harry from this dangerous trip and he knew this was about the perfect excuse to do so. But he just couldn't. And it was worrying that he already had a weakness where Harry Styles was concerned.

 

Louis gripped Harry's hand and tugged him across the parking lot with a firm step, looking back on him through his dark glasses.

 

Harry flicked him a nervous look, biting his lower lip guiltily.

 

"Young lovers, remember," Louis murmured and Harry nodded.

 

"Right. I'm subbing," he added jokily and Louis tensed at that but strode ahead; now mere feet from the door of the room they'd just vacated.

 

It was horrible bad luck really, awful timing. The two guys who Louis had seen duck out of the BMW were heading down the wooden walkway, heavy footsteps thudding along the boards as they came.

 

They were both wearing shades, too, one stocky and one slim and dressed in black. One had a shock of black hair and the other was heavy-set with a beard and brown hair. Louis' breathing quickened as he clocked them in his side-vision knowing the two men wouldn't have really noticed them yet but they were in no-man's land, nowhere to run without being obvious and nowhere to hide.

 

He had to do the only thing he thought plausible. He had to put on an act.

 

He turned himself and pulled Harry toward his body by grasping his t-shirt, hands fisted into the cotton to tug Harry close as Louis' back hit the wall. Harry fell into him with a surprised sound but Louis didn't give him time to ask questions.

 

He curled a hand around the back of his head and lifted his lips, forcing Harry into a kiss and his heart beat so loudly in those moments while Harry's heavy body pressed questioningly into his the same way his lips did and then something happened.

 

Harry was kissing him back. For real.

 

It wasn't pretend anymore, the way Harry pressed one hand into the wall, the other arm slipping around Louis' waist to cage him in and Louis almost regretted covering himself with Harry's bigger body but he'd had to because Louis couldn't hide Harry half as well and from this angle all the other two guys would see was Harry's big back and Louis little body beneath him, whimpering and pressing close.

 

And Louis was so caught up in the moment he almost forgot what he was doing here. Almost forgot about the damn necklace and the diamonds and the thousands of miles they had yet to do. Almost forgot that this was a game, all pretend to protect them from being recognised or identified at a later date.

 

It was all so difficult to draw lines and stop them being blurred when his hands were deep in Harry's soft hair and his body wrapped tight into his larger one. And he didn't even want to think about Harry's lips. The way he kissed. It was-

 

It had to be magical and Louis had to be under a spell because this wasn't the first time he'd had to pretend to kiss a guy to get out of an awkward spot but this was the first time he hadn't wanted to stop. Kissing Harry was epic. It was an epic that Louis had no idea existed until now and if he could just persuade his tongue to leave Harry's mouth and his hands to leave the small of his back and his hair then he could get on with whatever it was he was meant to be doing instead of _this_.

 

The thing that pulled Louis from his far-too-real-to-be-pretend make-out was the way Harry rutted up against him, body hard and telling of his desire as if his lips didn't already say a thousand words to that effect.

 

"Harry-" Louis gasped, tearing his mouth away, pressing gentle but firm hands to Harry's biceps.

 

He couldn't help the way his fingers flexed to feel that muscle.

 

Harry's eyes were big and dark and his breathing hard and heavy as he focused on Louis' face with a confused question in his eyes. _Why did we stop?_

 

"Your necklace," Louis reminded, swallowing hard, hoping Harry understood.

 

He didn't want to stop kissing any more than Harry did but they had to. Louis had to be the one to protect Harry here and he wouldn't do it by melting into his body and fingering his hair.

 

Harry leaned back, almost staggered when he took a step to separate them. It was a long minute while he came-to.

 

"Yeah," he finally breathed, licking his lips with a frown. "I-"

 

Louis shook his head, put a finger to his lips.

 

"Not sorry," he stated.

 

Harry blinked.

 

"Come one, let's get out of here," Louis prompted, slipping inside the room to look for Harry's cross.

 

//

 

Louis found the fine necklace on the floor where it must have been swiped while he was gathering up their things this morning and he pushed it into Harry's palm, grabbing his other hand to lead him back out to the parking lot where they slipped back into the car and headed out toward the east.

 

 

Harry was fixing his necklace back around his neck as he cast furtive glances towards Louis.

 

"You didn't have to go back for me," he said and Louis wondered if he was meant to reply.

 

"It was important to you," he offered.

 

Harry nodded.

 

"But it wasn't part of the plan. You could have left me behind." He noted.

 

Louis swallowed. Had Harry guessed? Guessed he had burgeoning feelings and a frankly unprofessional crush?

 

"We're partners now, right?" Louis suggested lightly.

 

Harry snapped his head around to stare at him.

 

"Really?"

 

Louis smirked, slipping his sunglasses onto his head and bestowing Harry with a warm look.

 

"You don't agree?"

 

Harry managed a small smile and shrug in return.

 

"I don't feel much like I'm any good at this."

 

"You follow my lead which is a bonus," Louis considered.

 

Even if that lead ended up in a make-out session that his lap was still feeling the effects from. He snuck a glance into Harry's lap to see if he was similarly affected. Harry had curled a hand around his dick to shroud the area and Louis hoped it was because he was sporting a boner to match his own. He wondered if he should be hiding his own reaction but then what was the point? Harry had rubbed against him, he must have felt his hardness the way Louis felt Harry's.

 

"I-" Harry paused and cleared his throat. "When a cute guy grabs you and kisses you it's not exactly hard work to go along," Harry mused.

 

Louis smiled at that. He had this knack of making everything okay between them with soft, funny words.

 

"Cute?" Louis arched a brow, picking on something to extend their banter and try and forget the heated moments of their kiss.

 

Harry slid him a dimpled grin.

 

"What, too girly?" He wondered.

 

Louis shrugged.

 

"I prefer rugged."

 

Harry laughed, loud and short, nodding amusedly.

 

"You're a guys guy," he commented.

 

Louis flicked him a look.

 

"So, next stop I need to show you how to hold a gun," he broached while on the topic of manly things.

 

Harry's brows rose.

 

"I forgot about that."

 

"I wish I could," Louis mused. "But today was a close miss."

 

"Do they-like how much do they know?" Harry wondered.

 

Louis twisted his lips.

 

"They must have a guy like I have Liam to know our route. But they don't know what we look like or what car we have which is a bonus," Louis shared.

 

Harry bit his lip.

 

"Who's your guy?"

 

"Liam," Louis shared. "He's due to call any minute in fact."

 

"Is he...are you...?"

 

Louis looked over at Harry's struggle with words. He smiled when he realised what Harry was trying to ask.

 

"He has a girlfriend, Sophia."

 

"Oh." Harry said and what else could he say really? He was trying unsuccessfully to find out more about Louis' love-life, his preference in men, even and he couldn't even say the right words. Or any words for that matter.

 

Louis' cell rang then and he put it on speaker, laying it on his thigh.

 

"Liam," he greeted.

 

"Louis," Liam said and Louis swallowed. This wasn't going to be good.

 

"That's the first time you called me Louis since we met," Louis noted. Liam favoured nick-names mostly, or code names.

 

"That's because you have some explaining to do," Liam posed and Louis flicked Harry a look.

 

He considered switching to handset and cutting Harry out of the debacle that was about to occur but really, he wanted to include Harry in this, somehow. Let him see how things worked, how he and Liam were dynamic work partners and nothing more.

 

"About what, Li?" Louis enquired lightly.

 

"You didn't tell me there was a civilian involved," Liam accused gently.

 

"How did you find out?" Louis wondered, momentarily worried.

 

"Our car correspondent mentioned that there was a tall, good-looking guy with you when you reached the motel. When I suggested he was just one of your one-night-stands he seemed certain that wasn't the case..."

 

Louis winced as Liam mentioned one-night-stands and this time, he did snatch up the phone to privatise the conversation at least from Liam's side.

 

"You make me sound like a slut," Louis accused gruffly, not sure why he was bothered that Harry might form opinions on him based on that. Bad opinions. He flicked his eyes sideways to check on his passenger.

 

Harry was busy trying to pretend not to hear. Louis sighed.

 

"So who is he?" Liam asked then.

 

"His name is Harry and he's with me now," Louis shared and Harry looked at him then, brief and appreciative.

 

Louis glanced at his lips and looked back at the road.

 

"Where did he come from?" Liam wanted to know.

 

"He was in the store in Bakersfield, he was trying on the diamonds instead of Perrie and don't even ask me why she let that little madness occur but the shop got shot out as you know and I had to run. The diamonds were on Harry so I had to take him with me..." Louis explained coolly.

 

He hoped coolly enough to pass for believable.

 

"And he's still there because...?" Liam led.

 

Louis didn't have an excuse for that part.

 

"Because he refuses to give me the diamonds," he semi-lied.

 

The truth was, Harry's diamonds were rolled up in their clothes in one of their bags somewhere.

 

"Where did he put them?" Liam asked amusedly. "Not like you not to have snuck them bad boys away and kicked him to the curb by now..."

 

"He put them in his underpants, Li," Louis described with a smirk. "Not being funny but it's not my normal tactic to rifle through men's underwear to get my mark..."

 

"Yeah right," Liam accused fondly, then paused before speaking again. "You have to get the diamonds back and let Harry go," he said.

 

"I know," Louis nodded, checking on Harry to see if he could hear any of this.

 

The way Harry was sitting with his shoulders hunched and lips pursed made him think he could hear every word.

 

"So, when?" Liam pushed. "I can get a guy in to get him out safely," he added.

 

Louis chewed on his lip, not sure what to say. He wasn't much for lying to people that mattered to him but he either had to lie to Harry and pretend to allow him along for this ride while secretly trying to set up a way to get him out or he had to lie to Liam and make out he was up for getting Harry out when he actually fully intended to let Harry go the full ride (safety permitting).

 

"Fuck, we're being tailed by a cop," Louis hissed authentically. "I'll call you back..."

 

"Lou-"

 

Liam was cut off as Louis ended the call with a suck of air into his lungs.

 

"You're getting in trouble," Harry said beside him.

 

Louis glanced at him, reached over and ruffled his hair.

 

"Put a beanie on, cover up these curls for a bit, hey?" He suggested and Harry went about it.

 

"Louis," Harry said insistently moments later.

 

Louis sighed.

 

"I run my own business, how can I get in trouble with the staff I _pay_?" He mused.

 

Harry blinked.

 

"You have a protocol and you're breaking it for me."

 

Louis tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel, looking around at the landscape, checking his mirrors. They were alone for now.

 

"I guess," he allowed.

 

Harry twisted his lips, fidgeted his hands and Louis wasn't sure what he was going to do- maybe throw himself out of the door in self-sacrifice? Louis startled a little when Harry's big, warm hand settled on his thigh. He relaxed into the touch though, looking over.

 

"Thank you," Harry said and it covered a lot really.

 

Like how Louis was taking a risk, like how they both wanted to be here without broaching the subject of why that was and how they should probably stop arguing about Harry coming along and instead work on plans that involved them both, all of which they had so far pulled off.

 

In a way Louis guessed it worked because the gang expected him to be working alone and Harry's inclusion was already a boon in that respect.

 

What was odd was the way Harry's hand didn't move. Not even when Louis changed gear and his thigh muscles shifted and his arm brushed Harry's as he went to the gear stick and back again. Harry's hand was heavy and constant and Louis didn't know why it grounded him.

 

"You have to call Liam to get the next stop," Harry husked.

 

Louis shook his head.

 

"Two days straight on the road. Only stopping for gas."

 

"I'll drive tomorrow if you like," Harry looked over.

 

Louis' hard-lined face told him that wasn't going to happen but Harry decided not to challenge it. Louis was already doing a great deal by allowing him to be here and it wasn't fair to argue on every point.

 

He frowned as he suddenly became aware of the fact he hadn't moved his hand from Louis' thigh. It was meant to be a comforting gesture, a request for acknowledgement really. That they were okay, that _this_ was okay.

 

He slipped his hand from Louis' thigh back into his own lap and tried to ignore the tingling in his palm as he folded his arms across his chest and pretended to sleep.

 

Pretended being the word because Harry couldn't focus on anything but the way Louis had felt in his arms, mouth under his, body tucked into his and-

 

Well, he didn't really know how Louis felt about it.

 

He didn't like the fact that he'd met this amazingly attractive dangerous guy and had no proper way of getting to know him other than travelling in this car and avoiding death. It wasn't the most standard of courting methods that was for sure.

 

And he thought-maybe-Louis might have the same curiosity about him that he had about the smaller guy but how were they meant to explore that really? Out here, on a road trip with nothing but the horizon and a boot full of rare gems.

 

He wanted to ask the question, to find out if Louis would go for a coffee someday, one day when they weren't here doing _this_ but didn't that sound crazy? Having coffee after this? Coffee, together like two normal guys with an interest going on a kind-of date.

 

But Harry couldn't help but wonder if Louis would have, had they not met this way.

 

"Would you have gone out with me, if I had asked and we hadn't met like this?" Harry posed when the car was dark enough that his blush wouldn't pose.

 

Louis was listening to the radio and sipping lucozade. He almost spat it out.

 

"What?" he cast, bemused.

 

"Like, if we just met somewhere normal and I asked you to go for a coffee, would you have?" Harry wondered.

 

Louis gave him such a long look Harry began to worry about the road but apparently Louis could drive blind-folded if required since his control of the car remained steady.

 

"No," Louis said and Harry's breath left his lungs in a whoosh, the rejection filling his veins until Louis spoke again. "But I'd have gone for a _tea_..."

 

Harry darted his eyes over, meeting blue ones that were intense. He flicked his eyes up to Louis' newly black hair, down to his ear-stud. He let his gaze fall on his mouth-small and pink and perfect for kissing.

 

"Can we?" He pushed the words out in a whisper. "After this?"

 

Louis sighed, fidgeted in his seat.

 

"I don't date," he admitted.

 

Harry lifted a brow.

 

"It's tea, not a date."

 

Louis laughed then.

 

"Alright then," he nodded.

 

"What are you doing after this job anyway?" Harry wondered.

 

"Raping women, stealing children and beating men according to your imagination," Louis quipped.

 

Harry reconsidered his first impressions that Louis was in fact an illegal gang member stealing the diamonds. He could see now that his idea was ludicrous, could see something else in Louis beyond criminal tendencies and it might not be a subject he knew much about but if he was a legal thief then he owed him the benefit of the doubt.

 

"You could come to my show, that's all," Harry said then.

 

Louis flicked him a bemused look.

 

"Let's start with tea," Louis suggested, wondering if they'd even make it to that arrangement before he'd have another job drop in.

 

Harry nodded, refolding his arms across his chest.

 

"Tea."

 

And it wasn't a promise, wasn't even much of a declaration of interest but it was an agreement to see each other again in a normal setting.

 

Harry settled down in his seat to sleep when Louis told him to and Harry let the rhythmic lull of Louis' breathing overtake his mind as he drifted off.

 


	5. Chapter 5

"So, an American who drinks tea," Harry posed the following day, stretched out on the back seat since his legs kept cramping up front.

 

He'd eaten cheetos for breakfast and he was wondering how badly his mom would be freaking out since he'd lost his cell-phone somewhere. He suspected it had fallen out of his pocket when he was being shoved into the car.

 

"Yeah you can blame my mom for that," Louis' eyes sparkled as they flicked up to the mirror.

 

Harry liked the way Louis still made eye contact even when he was laying in the back of the car.

 

"Does she worry about you when you're away?" Harry checked.

 

Louis hummed. "Li calls her every few days if I'm out on a job."

 

"Do you think-like could he call my mom?" Harry wondered.

 

Louis frowned into the mirror.

 

"You didn't call her?"

 

"I don't have my phone," Harry shrugged.

 

Louis o'd his mouth and instantly tugged his out of his pocket, tossing it into the back.

 

"Call her. Right now."

 

"I don't know what she'll have heard or-"

 

"Find out," Louis assured.

 

"But won't my call be traceable?" Harry worried.

 

Louis refrained from answering right away.

 

"Some things are more important."

 

"I can just speak to Liam and see if he can pass a message on for me..."

 

"Your mom will freak out even more," Louis predicted. "Don't worry about the trace. Call her."

 

Harry considered the traceable element of the call he needed to make was probably a tiny, tiny risk considering these thugs didn't know who he was or more importantly who his family was. He dialled the familiar number and sucked his lower lip while he waited for it to connect.

 

"Mom it's me..."

 

"Harold Edward Styles..." His mom, Anne greeted with her British accent. She'd married Robin, an American man and moved them all state-side before Harry was even one year old.

 

"Mom," he greeted again, his native accent different to hers and starkly so.

 

"Just what on earth is going on? I saw in the news that a shop got shot out at midnight on Monday and there's CCTV of you in the shop and there's reports of you being taken hostage and I can't even call you and then a blonde girl brings your phone to my house and tells me some convoluted story about how you were in the shop when a heist went down and how you were caught up in the exchange only I expected you to come home the following day and here you're calling three days later and sounding like you're on holiday in the Bahamas and that I knew all about it!" She ranted.

 

"The blonde girl is called Perrie," Harry inserted softly.

 

"Harry, what is going on?" Anne repeated firmly, anger and worry lacing her voice.

 

"Exactly how Perrie explained it except I'm not coming home just yet. I'm making sure the gems get to where they belong." Harry flicked a look to the rear-view mirror and Louis' reassuring gaze met his.

 

"Are you being held hostage?" She asked then. "I can pay them off..."

 

Harry chuckled. "No! I'm not being held hostage...I'm with a guy called Louis. We're like, working together it's not like that-"

 

"Is he hurting you?" Anne cut in. "Threatening you?"

 

"No," Harry answered firmly. "I'm here of my own accord."

 

"Come home, darling," Anne appealed. "I'm worried about you..."

 

"They really showed my face on TV?" Harry asked aloud and it brought Louis' shrewd gaze back to the mirror sharply.

 

"Not your face," she conceded. "It's muted but I knew it was my boy," she added. "They couldn't identify you, only that whoever was in the shop was possibly kidnapped."

 

"Oh." Harry frowned, wondering if this changed things at all.

 

It would certainly make Louis worry more about Harry's safety.

 

"Why don't you come home, hm?" Anne soothed in his ear.

 

And maybe if Harry hadn't met Louis he would have, would have let her warm, worried voice convince him to bail out right now. But Harry _had_ met Louis. And he'd kissed him twice and both times had been amazing so he almost didn't want to leave just yet, just to see what happened. Even if they already had agreed to meet for tea/coffee.

 

"I just need to do this," he said and it was true.

 

He'd never done anything like this before and he was twenty-years-old, if not now then when?

 

"Well be careful," his mom counselled and Harry was grateful that she had no idea how much danger he was in otherwise this call would never end.

 

"I will." He promised.

 

"Tell Louis to look after you," she stipulated.

 

"I will, mom," he rolled his eyes.

 

"Tell him now while I'm listening," she insisted.

 

Harry pursed his lips.

 

"Hey, Lou?" He called up front, gaining Louis' gaze in the mirror once more. "Tell my mom that you're looking out for me, yeah?"

 

Louis' grin was worth the blush on Harry's cheeks.

 

"He's in the best hands Mrs. Styles!" Louis called loudly, shaking his head as he tried not to laugh out loud.

 

Harry arched a brow.

 

"Right bye, mom, love you," he murmured, palming Louis' phone which vibrated under his touch. "Liam," he said to Louis.

 

"You can answer," Louis shrugged and Harry nervously clicked the 'answer' option on the screen.

 

"Er...hello?" Harry greeted unsurely.

 

"Who's this?" Liam clipped on the other end of the line.

 

"Harry," Harry supplied succinctly.

 

"Oh. The civilian," Liam said and Harry felt insignificant. "I would tell you to get the fuck out while you still can but I have a feeling you're more stubborn than the bastard beside you," he mused.

 

Harry smiled at his deduction.

 

"That's possible," he agreed.

 

"So, tomorrow night you can book in at Broken Arrow motel in Kent, Washington. I booked you a double since you've had doubles up till now is that alright?" Liam checked.

 

"Fine," Harry assured softly and Liam hung on the line a bit longer, piquing Harry's curiosity.

 

"Is Lou okay?" He asked then, quiet and soft as though Louis might hear him.

 

Harry was surprised at the question, even more so at being trusted to answer it.

 

"Erm...I think so," he replied hedging his response.

 

He heard Liam sigh.

 

"He doesn't take account of his own safety when he's on a mission," he shared. "Maybe having you there will make him take more precautions..."

 

Harry didn't know Louis all that well but he felt he knew him well enough to reply with;

 

"I doubt it."

 

"Me too," Liam hummed. "But can you try?"

 

Harry smiled at that.

 

"Already in action," he assured.

 

He almost heard Liam's relieved smile.

 

"I like you Harry."

 

"I like you too," Harry returned warmly while Louis flicked nosey looks towards him.

 

"Alright take care, talk soon." He ended the call and Harry slipped Louis' phone into his jeans pocket automatically.

 

"What was Liam saying just then?" Louis asked outright.

 

Harry folded his arms with a smug smile.

 

"Nothing."

 

Louis narrowed his eyes so that his long lashes came together.

 

"Why did I trust you again?" Louis wondered quietly.

 

"No idea," Harry teased.

 

"Innocent face, double-crossing mind..."

 

"Really, I have an innocent face?" Harry enquired.

 

Louis rolled his eyes, propping one elbow on the open window ledge and steering with his other.

 

"Really, you've never been told that?" Louis poked right back.

 

Harry hummed deep in his chest.

 

"Maybe."

 

"Yeah, I bet," Louis teased.

 

Harry smirked.

 

"Doesn't matter though does it?" He reasoned. "All the lines in the world won't work on me."

 

Louis nodded.

 

"True. You're a guy with high standards," Louis noted.

 

Harry made a noise in his throat.

 

"You make me sound like a snob."

 

"No, just-selective," Louis phrased.

 

Harry nodded.

 

"And how do guys take it?" Louis wondered.

 

Harry's smile slipped a notch.

 

"Not great, admittedly," he shared with a sigh.

 

Louis lifted his brows.

 

"No?"

 

"No," Harry pouted. "Guess it's all about the sex for most people..."

 

Louis wondered if that was a dig at Liam's comment of him having one night stands but he tried not to focus on it. Instead he was looking for words to assure the very young-looking Harry in his back seat. There may only be three years between them but right now Harry looked like a kid whose football had been deflated.

 

"Hey, that's the point though right? That you find the guy who isn't just about the sex?" Louis posed.

 

Harry looked over to the front of the car, lifting his eyes to the mirror where Louis' blue-grey gaze flicked back.

 

"Yeah, I guess..."

 

"And the guys who want to be with you for you are the ones worth waiting for..."

 

"I miss sex," Harry blurted and it wasn't what Louis was expecting him to say at all.

 

"But I thought-"

 

"No, the intimacy I mean," Harry struggled to express himself. "That connection...making love face to face..."

 

And Louis began to think about it. He wondered if he'd ever had that, really. He began to fear he might not have. And he wondered if Harry wasn't onto something by waiting. If Louis had time between jobs to wait, he might just join that track. Trouble was any relationship he did choose to have was usually very short-lived or non-exclusive to start with. And something about the guy in his back seat made him want to change that.

 

"Sounds nice," Louis eventually commented, his voice soft.

 

"It is," Harry said and that gave Louis a different angle to ask about.

 

"So you've been in love?" He asked.

 

"I thought I was," Harry sighed, fidgeting in the back seat and Louis couldn't help flicking his eyes over his midriff as his t-shirt rode up and his jeans rode down, baring a tiny strip of flesh that included happy trail.

 

"What happened?" Louis asked, relaxing into driving mode, glad of the second voice to keep him awake and alert.

 

"His name was David, I met him when I was nineteen. I was already running the charity I guess I was known as a young entrepreneur but most people just knew me as Harry you know?" Harry posed and Louis didn't know, not really but he nodded anyway so Harry went on.

 

"We met at one of the executive balls, I fell quickly in love with a guy who seemed to be the whole package-polite, fun, good with my parents, good kisser..."

 

Harry had kissed Louis since. He now knew that David was nothing compared to the guy driving this car.

 

"Right, so?" Louis prompted.

 

"So, we dated for a while and we slept together and-" Harry swallowed, his breath hitching in his chest.

 

"And?" Louis pushed, frowning in the mirror.

 

Harry sighed and turned toward the back of the seat so Louis wouldn't see the blush on his cheeks.

 

"I wasn't the only CEO he was charming the pants off apparently..." Harry shared shakily.

 

" _What_?" Louis asked and he actually sounded outraged. Like fiercely indignant that any guy could treat Harry that way.

 

Harry peeked over his shoulder. He'd always felt like the inferior to David, not good enough to keep him therefore David had gone off to find others to fulfil whatever Harry lacked. Louis, in one word, made him doubt his original assessment.

 

"Yeah ...guess I made him wait too long..." he ventured.

 

"Are you- _FUCKING_ kidding me?" Louis cast, having to pause before his swear word just to give it enough emphasis.

 

Harry turned back over then sat up with a rueful twist in his lips. He shrugged.

 

"I don't know why else do people cheat?" He posed.

 

Louis almost laughed. Started to, short and bitter, then swallowed hard to fight it down.

 

"Get up here," Louis gestured for Harry to climb back into the front seat and when his butt messed Louis' hair, Louis didn't even move to correct it.

 

Harry fiddled with his hands in his lap nervously and Louis reached over to squeeze one.

 

"If that... _moron_...decided to cheat on you then it's because he was a fucking supersonic idiot with a death wish," Louis promised darkly. "In fact if you give me his surname I'll gladly pay him a late-night visit..."

 

Harry darted him a bemused look, like Louis was acting like a protective older brother and he shouldn't be. Louis considered he was acting over-protective and it definitely wasn't in a brotherly sense.

 

"He's not worth it," he mumbled to try and appease his partner.

 

Louis let out a breath.

 

"That is true. But don't you ever believe for one second that he did that because of you," he begged. "Some guys are just-god, they're dicks, you know? Assholes. Never doubt yourself."

 

Harry nodded, shooting Louis a thankful smile.

 

Louis licked his lips, glancing over.

 

"Is that why you..." He held up his own wrist and twisted it, signalling Harry's wrist band.

 

"Is that why I'm celibate?" He repeated Louis' un-spoken question aloud. "Not really. I mean. Maybe," he admitted quietly.

 

Louis shook his head, a delighted smile crossing his lips.

 

"You're one of a kind, you know that?" He posed.

 

Harry blushed.

 

"Yeah..."

 

"Amazing," Louis added afterwards very softly and Harry wondered what that meant really.

 

Amazing in a good way or amazing as in like; _can you believe this guy_? He hoped it was the first.

 

"Broken Arrow," Harry said and Louis frowned at him.

 

"Say what?"

 

Harry thumbed to the sign they just passed.

 

"The next motel. Liam booked us in to the Broken Arrow..."

 

"Liam is trouble," Louis mused as they waited for the motel to come up short miles later.

 

Louis was exhausted by the time he pulled in and while Harry went in search of food he took a zombiefied shower and crashed on the bed front-first in just his boxers.

 

It was a short time later that Harry snuck in with pizza and left the box on the side to pull the covers over Louis' nearly-naked body and he couldn't help the way his eyes darted over his tanned skin, enjoying his broad shoulders, his slim waist, the lovely generous flesh to his backside, the even more delicious thighs he owned and shapely legs with small feet. Louis looked so vulnerable laid out bare; all his scars highlighted with pale skin and Harry counted a good few; wanting to wake Louis up to ask him what each one was caused by but knowing that the other guy probably wouldn't share those stories anyway.

 

When it came to recounting exactly how close he had come to being hurt before, Louis didn't seem to like to invite Harry into that memory and Harry could kind of see why because if every mark on Louis' little body was a reminder of how he'd cheated death then Louis was in a lot more danger than even Harry had foreseen.

 

He rolled into bed after eating half the pizza, curling up around the smaller form in the bed. Louis needed protecting just as much as Harry did and he was just the right guy to provide it. He tried not to think about the soft kisses he placed in Louis' hair and to his shoulder before he fell asleep. If he could pretend he'd never given them then all the better, really. His sleep-tired mind jumbled up reality and dreamland so he didn't have to worry about it.

 

It was all a dream, right? Right.

 

//

 

When Harry woke the next morning it was still early and Louis was still asleep in his arms.

 

He liked the fact that Louis felt comfortable enough to sleep there; felt relaxed enough to let Harry spoon him and just shut off from the world safe in the knowledge he was okay. He had a feeling Louis staying on his own in these motels meant very little sleep and a lot of anxiety. Harry wanted to be part of a different kind of adventure for Louis. Wanted to be the one to show him he could share his world with someone else. That he could let someone else protect him for a change.

 

He didn't wake him up. Somehow he managed- with gentle hands- to dress him in sweats and a tee and he carried Louis bridal style to the car with their things, making sure his cross was present before he got in and started the engine.

 

He knew the route, knew the car that was tagging them and it hadn't appeared yet but they couldn't get complacent. If Harry got on the road now they might even make enough time to earn another few hours to sleep and a shower.

 

He pulled Louis' phone out of his pocket and sent a quick text to Liam, smiling as he got an almost instant reply.

 

 _Roger that, new boy_.

 

Harry didn't know how Liam had guessed the message came from him but it was a nice feeling that Louis' colleague accepted him into this set-up so easily when he could have put a guy in to forcibly remove him if he thought that was required.

 

It was somewhere around Ellensburg that Louis stirred in the back-seat. He came-to quickly and immediately scrabbled for his gun.

 

"Lou, it's okay," Harry called softly. "I'm driving, that's all..."

 

Louis' heartbeat slowed back to normal and he blinked at the soft picture he made. Harry had chosen his clothes and left his feet bare. It was a million miles from his normal look.

 

"Good disguise," he approved. "Where's my gun?"

 

Harry licked his lips, biting the lower one.

 

"It's up here with your denim jacket." He explained.

 

"We'll stop when it's light when I see a place that we can do shooting practice..." He shared thoughtfully.

 

Harry swallowed.

 

"Okay."

 

Louis sat up and looked around, making sure they were on track. He wasn't surprised to see that Harry had made good progress while he was out for the count. He was surprised that he'd slept for so long and had been moved from bed to car without waking. He used to be so alert that even a whisker would wake him up. He rubbed a hand over his face in tired recognition that he had let his guard down with Harry and he blamed that for his ability to relax even the small amount required to sleep undisturbed.

 

"So, did you carry me out or something?" Louis wondered then, clambering into the front seat with a bit more grace than Harry usually showcased.

 

Harry ventured a look at him.

 

"Yeah...are you mad?"

 

Louis smirked, his hair sleep-messed and his eyes soft and crinkled.

 

"Not much point is there?" He mused.

 

"No?" Harry posed.

 

"I bet you look like a puppy when someone is mad at you," Louis posed.

 

Harry shot him a look and focused back on the road.

 

"No," he pouted, beginning to get a very puppy-like look on his face.

 

"Ah right," Louis nodded amusedly. "Then maybe I should be mad..."

 

"Look, you were tired, okay?" Harry defended. "And I know the route and you're not heavy so..."

 

Louis was staring at the side of his face. Harry wanted to forget about driving and take Louis' face in his hands to kiss him again. Maybe more. Maybe as much as his celibacy vow would allow.

 

"I'm not actually mad," Louis pointed out belatedly.

 

Harry softened into a semi-smile.

 

"You should see you when you're asleep," he said then.

 

Louis arched a brow.

 

"Tell me you didn't take a picture?" He begged. "Drool down my face and hair all over the place..?"

 

Harry's smile deepened.

 

"No, I didn't take a picture," he confirmed. At least not with Louis' phone. In his mind, he'd taken a hundred pictures but Louis didn't need to know that.

 

"Good," Louis nodded.

 

"There was no drool and your hair's nice anyway," Harry added.

 

Louis hid a smile under his fingers.

 

"Oh really? From Long Hair Don't Care himself. I'm honoured..." Louis teased.

 

Harry ignored him, deliberately. Because he knew that Louis didn't really hate his hair. At least not judging by the way his fingers had threaded into it and the noises he'd made following that action. No, Harry was banking on the fact Louis found him as attractive as Harry found the smaller guy.

 

"You should be, it's high praise," Harry quipped back lightly and Louis lifted his chin as he looked to the horizon.

 

"There's a forest coming up here. Take the dirt track on the left and we'll loop round but we can stop somewhere for target practice..."

 

Harry swallowed.

 

"Is it-Is it necessary do you think?" He asked hesitantly.

 

Louis flicked him a look.

 

"Unless you want to trust my scrawny ass to save you, then yes..."

 

Harry frowned.

 

"I trust you," he promised quickly.

 

Louis reached over and cupped Harry's shoulder.

 

"I'm not asking you to kill anyone. You don't even have to fire the gun again. But it would make me feel a hundred times better knowing you _can_ ," he admitted.

 

Harry tilted his head just slightly, letting his cheek brush Louis' hand.

 

"Alright," he agreed.

 

The turning came up shortly after and they crept down the track to find a quiet spot.

 

//

 

Harry's hands were shaking as Louis placed the cool metal of a pistol into them, telling him in gentle, quiet tones how to stand and how to hold it.

 

When Harry pointed the fire-arm at a tree Louis stepped behind him to help him pose, to reinforce the strength in his hands since his were shaking so much.

 

Harry closed his eyes and let Louis' warmth soothe him, let his lightly musky smell and faint trace of motel soap wash over him; concentrating on the feel of Louis around him rather than the gun and what he was practising doing with it.

 

When he opened his eyes and focused on the tree in front of him, Louis was wrapped around him, strong and protective in his stance.

 

"Shoot, Harry," he instructed into Harry's ear.

 

Harry narrowed his eyes, squeezed the trigger and jumped back a little from the force, his eyes going wide as his shot glanced off the trunk and torpedoed into the undergrowth.

 

"Wow, I'm terrible at this," he husked, lowering the weapon.

 

"No, go again," Louis insisted. "I won't direct you this time," he suggested. "I'm probably making you nervous..."

 

Harry had to agree that Louis was indeed making him nervous but not because of the gun. Because he smelled incredible and felt amazing and if he made it any more obvious he liked Louis then Louis really would kick him out of his car.

 

But actually. Harry hadn't liked anyone for ages and especially not anyone so-

 

Well, amazing quite frankly.

 

Harry took his next aim with the barest of touches from Louis' hands into his sides, keeping him grounded.

 

"Go for it," Louis directed.

 

Harry pulled the trigger ad this time his bullet landed in the bark of the tree he was aiming at. He let out a relieved breath.

 

"I shot something," he began to beam proudly.

 

Louis smiled widely at him.

 

"So just try and remember all that if anyone takes a shot at you, right?" Louis teased.

 

Harry looked down at him slightly, lips twitching.

 

"Have you ever shot anyone?"

 

Louis bit his lip and nodded.

 

"I saw your scars..." he hedged.

 

Louis' eyes clouded over and his body went rigid and Harry could kick himself- really hard- when those shutters came down and he knew Louis was shutting up shop emotionally; shutting him out. They'd just shared something quite profound and now his big mouth had gone and ruined it.

 

"Proper Picasso, me," Louis commented tightly, turning back toward the car.

 

Harry followed, a furrow in his brows.

 

"Hey, look, I didn't mean-"

 

"It's okay you don't have to explain," Louis turned and lifted his chin.

 

Harry traced the small scar by his eye with a thumb and then found a new one just under his chin with softly pursed lips and a look of concern crossing his face.

 

"I didn't mean anything bad," Harry insisted on saying.

 

"You can cancel that tea if you like," Louis offered. "Battered goods and all that...didn't really plan on you seeing that mess but that's what I get for falling asleep on the job I suppose..."

 

"Louis, I don't want to-"

 

Louis lifting a harsh finger to his lips in a 'shh' gesture paused Harry's words.

 

"Get in the car," he whispered, quickening to do the same.

 

Harry got in the passenger side while Louis took the driver's seat one more.

 

"There's someone wandering around out there," he explained once he started the engine.

 

"Best get out of here, then," Harry agreed, wanting to finish his unsaid words from a moment ago but that moment was over and Harry couldn't quite work out to get it back.

 

He let the awkwardness slide, setting the safety catch on the gun Louis lent him.

 

"You can tuck it in your jeans band when we get out," Louis suggested from the driver's seat.

 

Harry nodded, sighing hard as the scenes whizzed by outside the window. Louis spoke to Liam, sounded a little happier when he ended the call and told Harry they could stop again soon, another day or so of driving to keep them ahead.

 

"Will they catch up?" Harry asked honestly.

 

Louis hesitated before answering and Harry guessed the real answer before he spoke.

 

"It can get down to the wire a bit towards the end," he admitted.

 

"You'd want me to go then, wouldn't you?" He guessed.

 

Louis lifted his brows.

 

"Is this up for discussion?" he wondered. "Because yeah, I can't lie if you were up for considering it then I'd choose to put you out of harm's way in a heartbeat..."

 

Harry looked at him.

 

"I'm in it until the end," Harry promised.

 

Louis smiled reluctantly.

 

"Thought you might say that..."

 

"I don't know why but I feel like I should be here," Harry described; confused even as the words tumbled out of his mouth.

 

"Hm," Louis nodded, lips tight pressed together. "Interesting because I feel like you should be anywhere but here..."

 

Harry blinked. And they'd never have met. Or kissed. Or-

 

 _Or agreed to tea_.

 

"Oh," he said, lips pouting slightly with the word. If he added it to Louis' defensiveness about his scars then-

 

Well... then Louis was regretting everything. Didn't want to see him again, in fact. And it was a good job Harry was stubborn or he might have actually taken Louis' pushing of him and disappeared after this whole thing was done and dusted but now he was only more determined to prove to Louis that his job and his scars didn't matter, that love _did_ matter, more than anything.

 

And okay, Harry wasn't going to be Louis' _love_ but he could show Louis that love existed- even if it was in a platonic way.

 

"Find a good station, eh?" Louis flicked his hand against Harry's thigh to bring him out of his thoughts.

 

Harry began to flick through the radio stations and settled on some folksy country music that wasn't too offensive.

 

"This okay?" He checked.

 

Louis nodded, silently impressed.

 

"This'll do nicely, Harold," he assured. "Relax for a while, huh?"

 

Harry sank into his seat with folded arms.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks go to Jess for betaing this story and helping me out with geography of the US!
> 
> Ang

**Chapter 6**

 

Louis made sure he went to bed with sweats and a long sleeved tee on the night they booked into the next motel.

 

He wondered briefly what Liam thought of he and Harry sharing a double the whole trip but then he didn't give much mind to care because Harry was a hugger. He was a frickin' unashamed spooner and Louis was nothing if he wasn't a perfect little spoon. He hated it usually. Liked being the hugger even though he was smaller but something about Harry made him give in; made him allow himself to be protected even if it was just for the hours while they slept.

 

He found he slept better in Harry's arms the last time and he'd barely been aware of it but his body had known. His body seemed to know far too much since it warmed excitedly at being close to Harry's, hardened only marginally as Harry's dick rested lightly between his butt cheeks. His skin tingled and his hairs stood on end as Harry hummed; cuddling close like Louis was his personal teddy-bear. Louis thought he might be. He gave into that quickly and without a fight.

 

"Go to sleep, Louis," Harry breathed against his shoulder.

 

Louis let out a breath and let his body relax slightly. Damn. Harry knew him too well. Maybe he knew about his semi, about the way his skin reacted to Harry's closeness. Maybe he-

 

"Do you want a massage?" came the heavy husked voice again and Louis fidgeted.

 

Harry's fingers gently dragged across his belly, back and forth in a half-scratch, half-caress. Louis could only think about the mess left there from having his appendix out. The line from his belly button diagonally downward where someone had tried to gut him once.

 

"Should I sleep on the floor?" Harry wondered softly. "Am I making it worse?"

 

Louis didn't realise he'd tensed up as each memory of pain filled his mind. He laid his hand over Harry's to still his strokes but trapped his hand against the swell of his stomach- muscled but defined rather than rock-hard.

 

He let out a breath and tried for the truth.

 

"I have a lot of scars there," he admitted. "I was just remembering how I got them..."

 

He felt Harry kiss his shoulder, over his t-shirt.

 

"You have no idea how sad it makes me that you've been so badly hurt..."

 

Louis leaned back into him a little, felt his resolve weaken a notch. Maybe Harry was right. It wasn't all about sex, two people. Sometimes it had to be about trust and letting someone in. Two things Louis was not entirely familiar with. Maybe it was time he tested it out.

 

"I can accept what's happened to me," Louis sighed. "But I'm a mess."

 

"No," Harry's hand splayed on his midriff adamantly. "Your body tells your story. The story of your life..."

 

"You want to see them, don't you?" Louis asked then, astounded.

 

It was in these quiet moments that he got to ask Harry the hardest questions, the ones he was afraid to hear the answers of.

 

"Yes," Harry admitted hoarsely.

 

Louis let out a quick, surprised breath.

 

"Why?"

 

"Because you're beautiful and you can't even see it," Harry mused. "So maybe if I see every single one of your scars and kiss them all better you might begin to believe it..."

 

Louis wriggled in the bed, turned to face Harry and cupped his face in one small, slightly shaky hand.

 

"You're unbelievable you know that?" Louis awed.

 

Harry rolled his eyes. "Am I sick for wanting to see?"

 

"For wanting to taste, maybe," Louis considered. "How can scars be kissable?"

 

"Because they belong to _you_ ," Harry posed and he couldn't back up that statement without a kiss so he leaned forward the inches separating them and took Louis' lips with his own; kissing him softly, sweetly, slow enough that he could stop if he wanted.

 

Louis kissed back-again- but not for long. His intense eyes fluttered open.

 

"I wish you knew how much I want to do this..."

 

"But we can't," Harry nodded.

 

"Not while we're being chased," he conceded.

 

Harry licked his lips.

 

"Just that?" He checked.

 

Louis nodded.

 

"What else is there?"

 

Harry held up his wrist, showing Louis the thin red band.

 

"Oh!" he caught on quickly. "Oh Jesus...no, of course not," Louis quickly denied. "No that's not it at all...I mean other than not--well not jumping into anything," he conceded with an awkward eye roll. "That's definitely not stopping me," he added of Harry's celibacy.

 

Harry let out a breath.

 

"Good."

 

"We should sleep," Louis suggested.

 

Harry shifted closer. He'd lost his spoon. Louis opened his arms and Harry curled into them; Louis tightening his around the larger man; kissing his hair.

 

"Sweet dreams, Princess...."

 

"I wish you wouldn't call me that," Harry muttered sleepily as he drifted off.

 

Louis smiled in happy victory.

 

" _Sleeping beauty_ ," he whispered before he slipped into sleep.

 

//

 

When Louis woke up, he felt the cold tinge of regret lace through him and freeze cold in his bones.

 

He had revealed far too much last night, had taken Harry in his arms when he should be pushing him away.

 

Every day that this trip went on was another day closer to danger and teaching Harry to shoot didn't bring the kind of reassurance that Louis needed to relax. And it was hard not to let his guard down with the curly-haired guy by his side because Harry had a knack of working under his defences and attacking him straight in the chest- in his heart to be precise.

 

He carefully unwrapped himself from Harry, leaving his big and lovely body unprotected and while he frowned at the scene- waking up with Harry in his arms- Harry stirred and re-settled after snagging a pillow to hug to his chest.

 

Louis would have to wake him up soon, would have to move them on. He took a shower while he let Harry sleep a little longer and he re-packed their bags, deliberately separating his and Harry's clothes and leaving the pouch with the gems at the top of Harry's holdall.

 

He was just slipping on a denim jacket, heading out for a new hair-dye and breakfast when Harry came-to with a groan.

 

"Are you sneaking out?" He husked sleepily, rubbing his face with a hand.

 

Louis turned a little, shot him a smirk.

 

"I was getting us breakfast..."

 

Harry smiled.

 

"How romantic. Pretend I never spoke in that case..."

 

Louis flicked him a small smile before heading out.

 

//

 

Harry ate his croissants and fruit cross-legged on the bed, getting dressed at the last minute. Louis told him to choose something different and Harry realised Louis was wearing smart pants and a short-sleeve white shirt.

 

"Work fling," Louis said as he noticed Harry's gaze lingering on him.

 

He'd combed his hair into a parting, found out his black-framed clear lens glasses and slipped them on, shooting Harry an intense look from under those dark frames.

 

"Right," Harry nodded. "So I need to be smart?"

 

Louis nodded.

 

Harry rolled off the bed dusting his hands free of pastry crumbs to dig through his bag. He lifted up the pouch with a confused frown.

 

"Did you put them back?" He wondered.

 

Louis nodded.

 

Harry looked at him, momentarily distracted by Louis' new identity, the way his eyes burned behind those frames, the way his neat little body was so beautifully wrapped in those tight fitted clothes. And then he considered just how much Louis was giving up for him to be here.

 

He considered how Louis could have quite easily packed up the diamonds and high-tailed it out of there without Harry even knowing. And something burned in his chest with that, twisted in his belly too and worked lower, settling in a pleasant heat in his groin. He couldn't explain it but he and Louis had a connection somehow, an inexplicable bond from just a few days travelling together and his brow furrowed with trying to understand it.

 

He turned away from Louis' intent gaze to his luggage, pulling out a pair of blue jeans and a thick cable-knit jumper in petrol blue that he wore a polo-shirt underneath to try and make himself look a little less like his usual self and a lot more professional.

 

"This do?" He checked as he turned back toward Louis.

 

Louis' blue-grey eyes flicked down and then up again, pausing at his thighs and chest if he wasn't mistaken.

 

"You look like a college boy," he mused.

 

Harry arched a brow.

 

"I'm not that young..."

 

"Come on, Princess," Louis tossed his head to signal his impatience.

 

Harry followed him out of the room, taking his hand as Louis offered it. Louis kissed his cheek as he helped Harry into the passenger seat, surveying the parking lot carefully for imposters.

 

"I think we got a lead on them," he offered as he slid into the driver's seat.

 

"Yeah?" Harry looked hopeful.

 

Louis nodded.

 

"Yeah. Do me a favour, text Liam?" Louis tossed his phone into Harry's lap.

 

Harry did the honours.

 

//

 

It was when they reached the next town at nightfall that Harry had the urge to pee. Louis deliberately tried not to stop in built up areas for fear of being spotted, being noticed as out-of-towners.

 

But Harry was cupping his hands over his crotch and Louis couldn't ignore him any longer. Harry had been mortified that first night he'd pissed himself and Louis refused to let him go through that again so he pulled over, against his deep-set instincts that stopping equalled danger.

 

Liam hadn't been in touch since Harry's text so Louis didn't know how long they needed to drive for, how long it would take to find their next shelter, their next night of snatched sleep but as he indicated and pulled over at a public toilet just on the outskirts of town, he wished he did know for once.

 

It had never been much of an issue before, he just drove until he was told to stop but suddenly he wanted to know when he'd next be sharing a bed with Harry, wanted to know when he could dye his hair back and buy a new set of clothes and design a new identity.

 

Harry pulled on a beanie as they left the car and he looked at Louis quizzically as he came around the hood to meet him on the sidewalk.

 

"You need to go too?" He asked.

 

Louis blinked.

 

"We all know what public restrooms mean, Harold," he murmured.

 

Harry tensed a little and nodded.

 

"Yeah, of course...I won't, you know..."

 

Louis jammed his hands in his denim-jacket pockets.

 

"I'd feel better coming with you," he admitted, cheeks heating slightly but Harry wouldn't know in the semi-light.

 

The lop-sided smile he gave made Louis think he'd clocked his protective gesture anyway.

 

"Sure," Harry conceded as he loped up the grass bank toward the brick building and Louis followed, subtly looking around for signs of danger as he did so.

 

So far so good.

 

There was a guy in the toilets in one of the stalls that boasted a glory hole so Louis had quickly wrapped his arms around Harry and bundled him into the other stall with a grin and a hot kiss, telling him to 'hurry up and pee' when they were safely locked inside.

 

They heard the other patron leave by the door and Louis sighed out in relief as he sagged against the stall door where he'd pressed his arms.

 

"You done yet, Princess?" He checked of Harry.

 

Harry cleared his throat, shifted shyly.

 

"I...uh...can't while you're watching," he shared.

 

Louis arched a brow.

 

"I'm not watching," he frowned, bemused.

 

"Can you wait outside?" Harry asked.

 

Louis sighed, shuffling around the small space that the stall left when he wedged the door open, the last turn leaving him facing Harry's back and-

 

Okay, wow. _Seriously, wow_.

 

Harry's ass was naked and-

 

Perfect. Fucking _perfect_.

 

Louis had to drag his lids across his eyes to shut off the visual as he pulled the stall door up, deciding to use the urinal to distract himself from that particular sight. He realised it wasn't the best idea since he couldn't pee when he was half turned-on but he took plenty of deep breaths to try and combat that and finally zipped up his pants when it was evident that Harry's behind was now printed behind his eyelids as well as filed safely in his mind. Wonderful.

 

He waited patiently for Harry to wash his hands, flicking him a look as Harry came up behind him.

 

"Work colleagues, remember?" Louis said.

 

Harry nodded, taking his hand into his sweetly.

 

Louis squeezed his smaller hand around Harry's and opened the door. He was met with three gunshots.

 

"Fuck!" He hissed, ducking down and pushing Harry in front of him as they exited the toilets, unable to turn back since the door was weighted and pushed upon against their backs as they'd come into the night.

 

Louis pushed Harry's head down as bullets continued to fly and he squinted into the dark to source the gunmen, sliding out his pistol to shoot back.

 

"Lou," Harry tried to unfurl from the ball Louis had forced him into, his smaller body acting as a shield.

 

"Shut up, Harry!" Louis growled, taking two, three shots and the bullets flying at them reduced so he guessed there were two shooters and he'd just disabled one.

 

It was while he was re-loading his ammo that the sudden sting bit into his shoulder, hot and hard and-

 

"Arrghhh!" He roared, clutching there whilst trying to swap his gun to his left hand to give Harry enough cover to get to the car.

 

"Run when I say," he whispered, his breath sharp and ragged, dotted with spit as his vision went blurry from the pain.

 

Harry grabbed the gun and elbowed Louis off him, taking aim at the trees where the bullets were flying from and when he head a satisfying 'zip' and a cry of pain, he knew he'd hit their other attacker.

 

Louis was sat with his back to the wall, clutching his shoulder which was quickly soaking blood into his jacket. He was blinking wildly, staring at Harry.

 

"Go!" He breathed urgently.

 

Harry ignored his command and gently gathered Louis in his strong, capable arms, running down the grass toward their vehicle quickly checking the tires weren't shot out or slashed. He didn't have time to make sure of anything else as he carefully lay Louis in the backseat and hooked the keys from his jeans pocket, dashing to the driver's seat to get in.

 

"Lou?" He called breathlessly as he started the motor, pulling away slowly like Louis always did so as not to gain attention. "Lou, are you awake?"

 

His worried green gaze flicked to the mirror where he saw Louis' prone from laid in the backseat.

 

"That bastard!" He heard Louis spit, hissing right after.

 

"It'll be okay, don't panic, alright?" Harry assured.

 

Louis gave a grim smile, his face deathly pale and his skin soaked in clammy sweat.

 

"Another fucking scar, the prick! And my bad shoulder too!"

 

"Don't worry about that now, just keep talking to me, yeah?" Harry begged and he didn't really know where he was driving until that very second when it hit him.

 

His friend Zayn lived near here, he and Niall had met him on their cross-country road trip and Zayn had told him to drop by anytime. Harry wasn't sure the other guy meant with a bloodied casualty in tow but they couldn't risk a hospital and if Harry remembered rightly, Zayn's fiancé, Jess was a doctor so he was the perfect choice.

 

"Fuck, I'm bleeding all over the leather..." He heard Louis murmur and Harry shook his head, bit his lip in concentration.

 

"Just hold it as tight as you can, okay?" He called softly.

 

"Boy, I don't feel so good," Louis offered then, going lax.

 

"No!" Harry shot a look into the mirror, seeing Louis' body go floppy as he passed out. "Louis, no!" He begged.

 

He'd seen the movies, he knew you had to keep the patient talking under any circumstances. Dammit, he wasn't cut out for this! All he could do was drive, as far away from their attackers as possible. His knuckles were white on the steering wheel as he gripped it tightly, consumed with worry for Louis in the back seat.

 

Louis had survived much worse than a gun shot and Harry wondered how he managed it- escaping with an injury like that in his shoulder. He winced in thought of it, of what Louis' body had to endure to cope with that and he felt in some tiny part that maybe his coming along was a good thing. Louis could pass out without having to drive or run or whatever else while bleeding half to death like he probably normally would have. Harry wondered how many hospital trips he'd had after his jobs and how long it had taken to recover.

 

And he just wanted to curl Louis into his arms right now and kiss his hair as insane as that sounded. And it sounded pretty insane, even to his own ears. Louis was the man here, the strong one. And yet Harry wanted to keep him, all wrapped up.

 

"Lou, please," he begged quietly into the car. "Please hold on..."

 

And he only hoped his plea was heard by the gods above.

 

//

 

Zayn and Jess had been surprisingly welcoming considering Harry's rather panicked greeting and the fact they hadn't seen each other for a good year or so.

 

He sat in the lounge with Zayn sipping strong, sugary tea while Jess did her work and when she called Zayn in to help her, Harry stood in the doorway peeking into the room feeling redundant.

 

Louis had been stripped down to his boxers, laid on his front while Jess got out the bullet. Zayn had to press a wad into the wound as it bled and Harry fidgeted uneasily at the amount of red liquid leaving Louis' body.

 

"Will he be okay?" He asked, breaths short and tight.

 

Jess flicked her warm blue eyes over and smiled.

 

"It looks a lot of blood but a couple of pints of water will replace it," she assured.

 

Harry nodded.

 

"Can I-is there anything I can do?" He posed next.

 

Jess tugged her tweezers up and deposited a small metal capsule into a tray by the bed.

 

"Aha! Got it," she cheered.

 

Harry drifted closer, hands in pockets as he watched her pack the wound.

 

"I'll stitch it in a mo," she told him.

 

Harry sat down on the edge of the bed and wrapped a gentle hand around Louis' ankle, frowning as his thumb ran across a sharp ridge. It lay under his skin and Harry guessed Louis must have broken his ankle at some point. He felt tears come to his eyes at the thought of Louis being hurt today, about how much worse this could have come off. Louis should never have shielded him that way, Harry would have happily taken that bullet instead of the smaller, tougher guy.

 

"You okay, Haz?" Zayn reached over to squeeze his shoulder.

 

Harry looked up, nodding, rubbing his nose as he sniffled.

 

"Yeah...I just...was worried, you know?"

 

Zayn smirked.

 

"Are you two...?"

 

Harry pinkened slightly.

 

"I don't know. Maybe?" He offered.

 

Zayn looked piqued.

 

"What the Styles charm not working on this one?"

 

Harry shrugged.

 

"As you can tell, we're not in a normal situation right now..."

 

Zayn hadn't asked questions and Harry hadn't offered the information but really, Harry wondered why his friend wasn't more cautious about him getting together with a guy who got shot at.

 

"Didn't like to ask," Zayn winked.

 

"Not sure I'm his type, to be honest," Harry mused.

 

Zayn bit his lip, checking the blood flow under the gauze pack while Jess cleaned up. She came back a few moments later, needle and thread in hand.

 

"Harry, love, you might want to turn away for this," she suggested.

 

Harry flicked Zayn a look and his friend nodded.

 

"Shall we get your clothes in the wash? You can borrow some of my stuff if it fits," he added.

 

Harry reluctantly left the room only once Jess assured him three times that Louis was going to be fine. He sighed and got up.

 

//

 

Louis wasn't sure what time it was. He wasn't sure what time it was or _where_ he was for that matter. His memory was pretty hazy but somewhere in the fog at the back of his mind, he was sure he'd taken a bullet.

 

He couldn't remember much more than that, though. And everything was jumbled.

 

He lifted his head, looking around the unfamiliar room. Had he been captured? Was this some kind of mental institution, had they had him sectioned to keep him imprisoned while they made off with the diamonds?

 

And-

 

There was something else, just out of reach, His mind couldn't quite pull the right file to present him with the thought but it hung there, dark and grey and annoyingly unfathomable.

 

He tested his limbs. It was entirely possible that he was dead and this was the waiting room before heaven and hell. When he managed to move without too much pain, that idea grew weight. There was a dull ache in his shoulder and he vaguely remembered the bullet embedding there, in his already-scarred joint.

 

He slithered across the bed and clumsily fell out of it onto the floor, somehow finding enough semblance to get upright. His head swung about violently and he widened his eyes to try and stop the spin but he staggered a little in trying to contain it.

 

He saw light coming from the archway of the room that led into a parlour. There was a wall of mirrors there, a chaise-lounge and-

 

 _Harry_.

 

Harry was there.

 

He was circled by sunlight coming through the wide, beautifully paned windows and his hair was long, so long. It curled into his neck and he was-

 

 _Jesus Christ_ , he was naked but for his boxers.

 

Louis wondered if he had in fact- in actual fact- died and gone to heaven. He looked back, expecting cloud, expecting the waiting room to have melted away but it still remained there, dark and comforting. Why would he choose hell over this, seriously?

 

Louis blinked, in sudden shock as a thousand flashes went off in front of his eyes. Diamonds. Harry was wearing the diamonds. Had the ornate necklace rested on his collarbones and the cuff delicately draped from his wrist. He looked fucking spectacular. Louis couldn't blame Perrie one iota for letting him try them on. Harry was born to wear those jewels.

 

His gasp seemed to bring Harry's attention toward him and his angelic face furrowed into a frown, something Louis opened his mouth to object to.

 

No words came out, his throat was parched like the desert.

 

"Lou!" Came Harry's whispered, urgent chastisement and Louis found his waist wrapped with strong arms.

 

And since he didn't know how long this phase lasted- this heavenly interlude before taking his wings or whatever, he quickly made the most of it and fingered at Harry's collarbones underneath the necklace, lifting his hand to cup his neck, his thumb reaching for his jaw as he brought Harry's face to the right angle, just the right angle to-

 

 _Yes_. Oh god, _yes_. He well and truly had died and gone to heaven, it was confirmed. Harry was kissing him. And it was beautiful. _Fuck_ , it was so amazing. Had it always been this good? This slow, this intense? Had he always had this need to just kiss Harry's lips one by one, slip his tongue between them, press up against him and taste every drop of his honeyed mouth?

 

Had they always gotten hard this quickly, been this desperate to press lips to lips and yet take such pleasured, careful time to really... _kiss_. None of that fierce roughness Louis had displayed at the gas-station. A little of the headiness he had experienced at the motel but-

 

 _Jesus_. He could kiss Harry forever. Literally. Forever. Maybe that was an option? He needed to talk to God...

 

"Ehem," the light clearing of a throat brought Louis out of his heavenly moment

 

He looked toward the door where Zayn was stood.

 

"God?" Louis asked, confused.

 

Zayn had god-like features, but damn. How did he get into the clouds?

 

"What?" Zayn asked back confusedly, then to Harry, "I...uh...I'll give you a minute, yeah?"

 

Louis blinked at him, entirely confused. God was giving him time to let go of Harry? A minute wasn't long enough but Louis didn't feel he was in any place to argue. He pressed his thumbs into Harry's biceps. He felt so real. So, so real.

 

"So you'll disappear?" He asked and Harry frowned at him again.

 

"No, no..." Louis quickly pressed his thumbs gently into Harry's cheeks. "Please don't be sad..."

 

Harry tilted his head and arched a brow, his arms still firmly wrapped around Louis' waist.

 

"Lou, I'm not going anywhere," he promised.

 

Louis applied a little pressure to his thumbs, a signal for Harry to smile.

 

"Please, smile?" He begged.

 

Harry blinked at him.

 

"You're acting very strangely," he mused.

 

"You look beautiful as an angel," Louis tried.

 

Harry did smile then, deep grooves filling the sides of his mouth as warmth filled his cheeks.

 

"Why do you keep calling me girly things," he sighed.

 

"Because you are," Louis smirked. "I'm dead and hopefully on my way to heaven and you're an angel...one I don't really want to let go of but-"

 

"Louis, you're not dead," came Harry's soft, hoarse voice through his fog.

 

Louis rolled his eyes and licked his lips.

 

"No, I guess I get given my own set of wings but really, that's a crazy person giving me duties like that but hey..."

 

Harry looked behind him toward the door.

 

"Zayn?" He called unsurely. "What did you give him?"

 

Zayn re-entered the room, hand across his eyes that he peeked through. He grinned.

 

" Jess gave him some strong painkillers. He won't feel a thing but he shouldn't be out of bed," he added worriedly.

 

Harry looked back at Louis, whose eyes were soft-blue grey and having trouble focusing.

 

"He thinks he's dead," Harry mused.

 

Zayn spat out some laughter.

 

"Jeez, she gave him some proper hard-core stuff..."

 

"I don't find it very funny," he grumbled lightly, bending to tuck his arm under Louis' knees to carry him back to the bed.

 

"Wait, I don't get into heaven?" Louis asked, finding the conversation between God and Angel Harry far too confusing to understand.

 

"No, you go to hell," Zayn sniggered and Harry shot him a cross look as Louis looked panicked.

 

"Shh, don't listen to him," Harry soothed, laying him on the bed and stroking his hair back gently.

 

Louis lay on his good side, blinking at Harry who sat on the edge of the bed.

 

"Is this like, my last wish?" Louis asked, soft and breathy.

 

Harry thumbed his cheek with a worried look.

 

"No, you'll get many more of those..."

 

"Only, if it is, can I like...ask for _you_? Can you hold me while I go back to sleep?"

 

Harry glared at Zayn with a dark look as he rounded the bed.

 

"Get Jess in here, now," he commanded, laying behind Louis to tuck up into his back, spooning him carefully.

 

Zayn nodded and got up, pausing at the door to watch them a moment.

 

"Haz, I'm glad you found someone," he said.

 

Harry nodded dismissively, letting Louis take his arm to wrap around his middle until he was satisfied with their sleeping position.

 

"I don't want to close my eyes," Louis sighed.

 

"# _I don't want to fall asleep because I'd miss you baby, and I don't want to miss a thing#,"_ Harry sang, figuring nothing sensible would make any difference right now anyway.

 

Whatever Jess had given him had whacked Louis out so much he had no idea what was real and what wasn't. But the kiss they'd shared just now was off the scale and Harry prayed that Louis would remember that part at least.

 

"Don't leave me," he whispered and Harry was stunned by the words.

 

They were words he would never imagine hearing Louis utter fully conscious, fully engaged with the real world.

 

"I won't," he promised, and the promise was real even if Louis' vulnerability wasn't.

 

Louis sighed out another 'don't leave' and Harry held him while he drifted back into sleep.

 

//

 

It was a very long conversation he had with Jess who argued that Louis needed the strength of those painkillers for his body to cope with the shock of being shot and the aftermath of that wound.

 

Harry had conceded begrudgingly and spent a long call with Liam explaining what went on. Liam was getting a new car delivered, was coming up with a new route. But amongst all the business-talk, he asked;

 

"How's Lou?"

 

Harry sighed.

 

"Stoned on the painkillers my doctor friend gave him," he admitted.

 

Liam laughed and it surprised Harry that Louis' employee trusted him.

 

"Bet he's wonderful," he guessed.

 

"He thought he'd died," Harry shared. "It wasn't nice to hear."

 

Liam paused.

 

"Hey Harry?"

 

"Hm?"

 

"You like Louis don't you?" He asked directly.

 

Harry blushed and was thankful Liam couldn't see it.

 

"I-"

 

"Only, if you do..." Liam sighed.

 

"Yeah?" Harry checked.

 

"He needs someone like you," Liam blurted out then.

 

Harry swallowed.

 

"I'm not his type," he said automatically, not sure that was true.

 

As he looked down on the bed where Louis curled in his sleep, he recalled vividly every kiss they had shared- every hot, amazing, beautiful kiss. The last one was the best so far but Louis had been somewhat under the influence so Harry tried not to count it.

 

"Don't be sure of that," Liam said, mysteriously. "Don't let him fool you."

 

Harry lifted the cell-phone away from his ear to smile at it bemusedly.

 

"Are you cupid?" He checked.

 

Liam chuckled warmly.

 

"No, I'm just-Look he never lets anyone go along with him, not even me. He's been picked up in some pretty awful states and he wouldn't let any of us look after him..."

 

Harry hummed.

 

"So that fact he's letting you? Well, it kind of says a lot, okay?" Liam posed.

 

"What are you saying, Liam?" Harry wondered.

 

Liam hesitated before he spoke again.

 

"He might try and push you away...he might try and sabotage something good...so just-hang in there?" he begged. "If you can..."

 

Harry wondered how Louis' colleague knew so damn much from two conversations and a little bit of brotherly bonding.

 

"Alright, I'll try," he promised.

 

He almost heard Liam's grin.

 

"Great. Your car will arrive in an hour, I need you back on the road when it arrives. You can drive while Louis is recovering but those diamonds have to keep moving..."

 

"Alright, roger that," Harry nodded resolutely of Liam's instructions.

 

"Tell him I asked after him, will you?" Liam asked before he signed off.

 

Harry smiled. "I will."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

 

When Louis woke again he felt like he'd been eating cotton wool for the past two days and it had completely filled up his head. He opened and closed his mouth testing his dry tongue, propping up to reach for the glass of water on the bedside table.

 

Only the bedside table wasn't there. Nor was the bed in fact.

 

He frowned, looking around him confusedly. He was in motion.

 

"Where the fuck am I?" he asked, more a hoarse whisper thanks to his arid throat.

 

A pair of familiar green eyes shot into the rear-view mirror of a car Louis realised he must be travelling in. As he looked down on himself he saw he was swaddled in a blanket and he was sure his hair must be everywhere. He ran a hand through it to check and found the strands shorter than the last time he checked.

 

"Where's my hair?" He added.

 

"There's ribena in the seat pocket," Harry instructed and Louis reached for it, piercing the carton with a straw and sucking hard.

 

"Zayn's girlfriend cut your hair and dyed it back," Harry added.

 

"Why're you driving?" Louis asked next.

 

"Had to keep moving," Harry relayed. "Seems the goons went right by us and we lost ourselves from their radar."

 

Louis frowned.

 

"You should have stayed with Zayn," he said then.

 

"Oh he's not God anymore then?" Harry enquired lightly.

 

"What?" Louis asked irritably. If there was one thing he hated it was being dependent upon anyone else.

 

"You were calling him God earlier," Harry mused, pursing his lips as his eyes filled with warm humour. "And apparently I'm an angel..."

 

Louis let himself rack his brains for those memories and something flashed in, strong and bright and surprising.

 

"Did I-" Louis cleared his throat. "Did we kiss?"

 

Harry grinned and lifted his chin so Louis could see it in the mirror.

 

"Oh you remember that then..."

 

Louis ran a hand down his face, wincing as his shoulder twinged. He lay back down, pulling the blanket around him as he shivered.

 

"Not easy to forget, exactly," he murmured.

 

And Harry heard him, but he didn't know what to say back.

 

"Hey Lou, we only have a few days left right?"

 

Louis sighed.

 

"I don't even know where we are..."

 

"Wichita," Harry supplied.

 

"Then yeah I guess we don't have long."

 

"Must be close since they took a shot at us," Harry added.

 

"Did Liam put a bullet-proof in for you?" He asked instantly.

 

Harry rolled his eyes.

 

"Yes, I'm already wearing it."

 

"Good," Louis nodded.

 

"So, I want to make sure you don't weasel out of our tea meeting," Harry posed.

 

Louis bit at his lip. He didn't care what needed doing, he was going to be in Bakersfield on Friday if it killed him.

 

"Sure, I'll meet you...but you do realise I don't live in Bakersfield, right?" Louis posed.

 

Harry's blood ran cold with sudden fear. How could he have even missed that little detail out? He already liked Louis way too much to even think about not meeting up. But...well how far could it really go if they were in different states? Different countries even?

 

"Where do you live?" Harry asked then.

 

"I don't have a home," Louis shrugged. "I mostly bunk with Liam who lives in San Diego."

 

Harry looked into the mirror for a long moment.

 

"Really, you don't have a place you call home?"

 

"The UK, I guess," Louis shrugged. "My mom lives there now..."

 

"But here? You just fly around America and nowhere is home?"

 

"I fly around the _world_ ," Louis corrected.

 

"Wow," Harry awed soft and low.

 

Louis shrugged, then winced from the movement.

 

"It's not so bad..." he said but he was lying, really.

 

Because the best he had to look forward to on a day off was a hug from Liam and a bigger hug from his girlfriend Sophia and home-cooked food for a few days.

 

He did miss having a place to call home.

 

"I couldn't do it," Harry was shaking his head, talking in that low rich voice of his. "I love having my own place."

 

"And you look like you walked off a catwalk and you're still single?" Louis posed disbelievingly.

 

Harry's cheeks warmed with Louis' words.

 

"I don't look like I've stepped off a catwalk," he denied lightly.

 

Louis scoffed.

 

"Sorry, Princess, you're not fooling me. I can bet you have them queuing round the block..."

 

Harry ran a hand through his long hair.

 

"I might have had one or two offers..." he conceded.

 

"I knew it!" Louis snapped, then coughed with the force of his words, cupping his shoulder protectively.

 

"Hey, take it easy back there," Harry chided gently.

 

"Why didn't Zayn's girl cut your hair too?" Louis grumbled in response.

 

Harry smirked.

 

"Said it looked too nice. She offered to plait to for me..."

 

Louis began a new fit of choking.

 

Harry shot him a bemused brow-arch.

 

"What?"

 

"Nothing," Louis shook his head quickly. "I'm fine..."

 

Harry was quiet a while, then pressed his lips together with a little intake of breath before he asked;

 

"Louis? Will you stay with Liam until Friday?" He wondered.

 

Louis rolled onto his back, careful of his shoulder against the back of the seat.

 

"Yeah, probably. I'll probably have to rent a room after that since my shoulder will take a couple of months to get back to normal..."

 

Harry nodded; seemingly appeased.

 

"You should go back to sleep for a bit..." Harry suggested.

 

Louis wondered when his life became this role-reversal of being told what to do and driven around. And he wondered even more why he almost liked it.

 

"My shoulder hurts," he sighed and he watched Harry reach across to the passenger seat to select a box from the brown grocery bag, throwing it gently into the backseat.

 

"Take more painkillers," he said. "There's a tonne of Ribena back there..."

 

Louis swallowed two of the pills.

 

"Am I going to think you're an angel again?" He mused.

 

Harry's smile was soft and fond.

 

"I hope so, it was pretty epic the first time," he teased.

 

Louis bit at his lip, imagined Harry kissing it.

 

"Really bad timing, Tommo," he murmured to himself.

 

Harry turned on the radio and sang along quietly while Louis slipped back into sleep.

 

//

 

Harry stopped after a day and a half of driving, when Louis was going stir-crazy in the back seat and his hair was almost as wild as his eyes. He kept begging Harry to let him drive and Harry kept telling him 'doctor's orders' which was ridiculous since Louis had done a lot worse than drive with far more severe injuries but still...

 

They pulled up at a motel at dark and Louis already had a hand on the door-release, breaking out with a deep breath of fresh air. He span in a circle, arms out and staggered a little with a confused frown, finding a pair of strong arms circling his middle as a tall guy pressed close.

 

"Be careful," Harry begged, all furrowed brows and pouty lips.

 

"Wish you'd smile more," Louis accused.

 

"Wish you'd give up the death wish," Harry retorted.

 

Louis ran his fingers through the long curls that Harry boasted.

 

"Who shall we be today?" He mused.

 

Harry shrugged, swallowing hard.

 

"Us?" He posed bravely.

 

Louis didn't miss the intake of nervous breath or how Harry's eyes dropped to his collar-bones. Louis really wasn't sure how he felt about that word or what it meant.

 

He was wearing sweats and a sporty tee, he was going to suggest he was Harry's personal gym trainer but he didn't exactly have the physique to convince on that.

 

"You think people would put us together?" Louis asked finally, meeting Harry's gaze as he lifted his eyes.

 

His lips hung open slightly, almost as if he was shocked at Louis' acceptance of his small word. A small word with a big meaning.

 

"Would _you_?" Harry asked pertinently.

 

And Louis swallowed. He knew what Harry was really asking. He kept his gaze, the shy green one, with his own cool blue-grey.

 

"Yeah, I think I would..."

 

Harry stepped back a little, went to take Louis' hand but Louis shook his head and stepped closer again, running both hands over Harry's shoulders and up into he back of his soft, curly hair as he kissed him, unable to resist the urge.

 

And he realised he never _had_ resisted the urge of Harry from the start; neither had Perrie and he wondered what the hell Harry had that made everyone a zombie to his thrall.

 

Quickly, his thoughts faded to the feel of Harry's lips, the way Harry's hands cupped his hips gently, spread onto his back with starred fingers, being so careful to avoid his wound while clutching him close. Turned out kissing Harry was better than any sex Louis had ever had and he wondered then if Harry minded that he'd slept around, was a bit of a commitment-phobe because everything they had said so far would indicate Louis was willing to wait for Harry to be ready and that meant-

 

Well, that meant being in love. Which they weren't.

 

Louis pulled away, grasping Harry's hand.

 

"I really have the worst timing," he breathed.

 

Harry offered a relieved chuckle.

 

"Yeah...but, uh...that was nice..." he pressed his lips together to keep the kiss.

 

Louis smiled at him, slow and affectionate.

 

"Nice?" He arched a brow.

 

"Well...more than," he conceded with a shy blink, causing Louis to check the front of Harry's jeans. They were definitely fuller, much like his sweats.

 

"good," Louis nodded with a sigh. Good to know.

 

"Still think I'm an angel?" Harry asked as he followed Louis toward the motel reception.

 

Louis flicked him a scathing look.

 

"Not a chance in hell," he mused.

 

//

 

So it turned out Louis had to let Harry help him undress. Which was awkward.

 

More for Louis since Harry would no doubt do an amazing job of just getting on with it but Louis felt far more anxious about the whole thing since his body was littered with scars.

 

He kept taking deep breaths, arms by his sides as he stood in front of Harry. Harry had managed to get his trackies off without too much protest. It was time for his t-shirt to go and he was struggling.

 

"Do you want me to undress too?" Harry posed. "Is it easier that way?"

 

Louis shook his head quickly. _Fuck no_ , he didn't want to be naked _and_ hard. Fatal combination. But he was getting tired and beginning to sway. Harry actually hugged him, small miracle.

 

"Lou, you don't have to show me, okay?" He murmured, rubbing big circles between his shoulder blades as he murmured into his ear, lips brushing there. "Just sleep in your boxers and tee and we'll shower you tomorrow..."

 

We? _No, no, no_. There was no _we_ as far as showering was concerned. Louis would manage that job all by himself thank you very much...

 

"No, gotta go early," he sighed, annoyed at himself.

 

He resolutely straightened, a little reluctant to leave Harry's warm and comforting embrace.

 

"Just do it," he lifted his good arm all the way and his bad one as far as the pain allowed. He closed his eyes as he felt Harry's knuckles brush his belly as he gripped the hem and then it was being dragged up his body with slow care and-

 

Louis groaned, choking back the sound as he flushed. Harry had kissed him, right where his appendix bore evidence to being removed. And was now kissing a path up his adventure-worn body.

 

The lash marks on his ribs, the claw-marks between his pecs, the-

 

 _Fuck_.

 

He bit back a whimper.

 

The pen-knife slash that went right across his left nipple and didn't make it any less sensitive. The skin puckered in proof.

 

Louis squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to see the truth, to see the reality of Harry right now. He was probably only kissing those disgusting marks to make him feel less embarrassed about needing help to undress.

 

When his lips closed around the dart-mark on his neck- tiny and ridged- he weakened. And then Harry's lips pushed up under his chin against the scar there and pressed lightly by his eye. Louis felt the material being tugged over his head, somehow bypassing his bad shoulder with no pain, surely the work of a magician.

 

He sucked in a breath as Harry gathered him close.

 

"Shower?" Harry hummed, low and sounding downright filthy.

 

Louis wondered if he hadn't taken more of those pills that had him hallucinating earlier. He sagged into the bigger body thankfully, resting his temple against warm flesh and-

 

 _Oh Jesus_. Had Harry stripped too, like he'd promised to?

 

"Lou, do you want to sleep first?" he heard the words, shook his head but couldn't make his limbs work.

 

"You want to shower together?" Harry checked of that action.

 

Louis swallowed. Yes he did. _Fuck it all to hell_. He felt awful with his injury and being unable to do anything- least of all protect Harry and revert back to the manly one in their duo. Why couldn't he enjoy a little, innocent shower with Harry? It wouldn't take long and it was a necessity after all.

 

He worked on getting his limbs to co-operate.

 

"Shower," he nodded and he slipped under the torrent of water the shower provided.

 

He gave up trying to shield himself as Harry followed his actions, sliding down his underwear with a slow, lazy blink.

 

Louis' breath caught in his lungs at the sight of Harry completely naked and he had to admit, this wasn't exactly the scenario he imagined getting Harry Styles naked but it was what it was and it didn't seem all that important with Harry's lovely pale flesh on show.

 

He had a beautiful dick, too. If Louis wasn't half-delirious and recovering from a gun-shot wound, he might even get on his knees and appreciate that dick but his legs were already shaky and he couldn't trust himself to give Harry the blow-job he deserved right now.

 

He lifted his tired blue-grey eyes upwards as Harry reached around him for the shower-gel, soaping it between both hands before spreading it over Louis' back. And Louis couldn't help it really, he shuffled forward, arms curled in, injured shoulder tucked forward as Harry's gentle hands worked over his skin, washing away the day's stresses and strains and more than that, even. Washing away Louis' doubts.

 

Harry made little appreciative humming noises as he made a thorough job of cleaning Louis' skin and Louis wasn't sure exactly _when_ he blindly lifted his chin, water jetting into his face to force his eyes closed as he searched for lips but it probably wasn't soon enough.

 

He managed to push his lips into Harry's neck, working up from there and thank god Harry got the message because he ducked his head and cupped Louis' cheek and with a gentle thumb he guided Louis' mouth to the right place to meet his.

 

It was electric, that kiss. Hot and wet and wanton. It melted something inside him, made it bubble in his belly as he pressed his naked skin up against Harry's and groaned, arms threading around his shoulders to hang on for dear life. Kissing Harry was always incredible and he ought to have worked up a little self-restraint by now in that department but really, he'd given up any ideas of denying himself this from day one.

 

Harry had a spell on him and he was only a man after all. How on earth was he supposed to be able to pretend this didn't matter? That none of this mattered?

 

He whimpered as his bad shoulder protested its high position on Harry's body and it sobered Harry enough to pull back. He thumbed at Louis' wet cheek, Louis' lashes filled with water as he gasped in air.

 

"That was silly," Harry chided softly, low and hoarse.

 

Louis stepped back before Harry felt his body react to that voice. Louis nodded with a confused frown and then Harry's hands were back upon him. Not with shower-gel this time, fanning out across his ribs, peaking his nipples with deft thumbs and trailing lower, one tucking into his lower back, fingers pressing into his spine deliciously while the other-

 

"Mmf," Louis pitched forward as Harry's big hand took his now-hard dick in one swift move.

 

Harry shuffled closer, lips by Louis' temple as Louis used his steady body to lean on. He pressed his fingers into his back gently, to remind him of the strong arm around him and when his hand slid over Louis' butt, Louis fucked up into the hand that held his arousal; a slave to his pleasure.

 

He could definitely blame the drugs Perrie had given him for this mindless moment, for this utter disregard to anything but getting off here in this shower. And he'd like to think he was listening out for sounds of danger, liked to think he was ultimately aware no matter what but he'd be lying.

 

All that mattered right now was Harry; around him, touching him, stroking him to full hardness. He opened his eyes, kissing at Harry's shoulder where he lay against him, leaning back to view Harry's own need- swollen, red and angry-looking pointing straight upwards towards his belly.

 

He took a breath, looked up into dark green eyes.

 

"Not now," Harry hummed and Louis had to agree.

 

It was taking all he had to move his hips in some kind of rhythm against Harry's touch and his good arm was hooked around his neck, clinging on. He wanted to kiss him, wanted to make this more somehow but his lips could only manage small kisses across Harry's chest as far as he could reach.

 

Harry twisted his wrist, slipped his thumb over Louis' tip and it drove him deeper, harder into his desire.

 

"Harry...yes...oh fuck, yes!" He panted, keening toward him, feeling Harry's hand slip back into his lower-back to support him and he was done-for really.

 

He could feel the tightening in his whole body, the way sweet shivers of ecstasy ran across his skin before pooling in his groin and his balls tensed in anticipation for release.

 

Louis did reach up for a kiss then, lips clinging to Harry's-wet and warm and sweet in their union and his control completely slipped away as Harry kissed him back and then he was releasing heavy, hot stripes of seed all over Harry's belly.

 

He widened his eyes as he sucked in a shocked gasp, the sight of his own pleasure drawn over Harry's beautiful skin which he quickly ran a hand into to test its realness.

 

Harry was breathing hard, close to his ear and Louis realised he was on the edge of his own constraint. He didn't even try to draw it out, he took Harry's sizeable hardness in his hand and stroked, fast and hard with expert flicks of his wrist.

 

And if Harry had a problem with it, he didn't voice it. His eyes closed and he leaned back against the shower glass, never letting go of Louis who worked quickly to bring Harry off and it was Harry who was gasping out pleasured cries as his body also gave way to their desire, spurting copious amounts of come over Louis' torso.

 

Louis couldn't help his tired smirk.

 

"Full of it, aren't you?" He mused, swiping his fingertip through a patch before it was washed away, bringing it to his lips where he sucked his fingertip to taste.

 

Harry watched him with hooded eyes, lips hanging open gratuitously.

 

Louis reached forward and cupped his cheek with his good hand.

 

"You okay?" He checked.

 

Harry nodded, awed.

 

"This doesn't go against..?" Louis picked at Harry's wrist band with a finger and thumb.

 

Harry shook his head, pulling Louis close with both arms, breaths still labouring in his lungs.

 

Louis let Harry hold him for a moment more.

 

"I think..." he hedged, rolling his bad shoulder awkwardly.

 

Harry seemed to snap out of it with a hissed,

 

"Shit! I'm so sorry! I forgot..."

 

He quickly turned off the faucet and found towels, drying Louis before he dried himself. He pulled on fresh underwear and sweats with a tee, helping Louis into boxers before he directed Louis to sit on the bed.

 

Harry grabbed his first-aid kit that Perrie had given him and sat behind Louis, brows furrowing.

 

"Take some painkillers first," Harry handed him the packet to pop some out.

 

"Not sure I like these things," Louis mused softly.

 

"No?" Harry asked.

 

"Make me do things I wouldn't normally," Louis shared amusedly.

 

Harry paused, breath hitching in his chest.

 

"Really?" He asked, sounding worried.

 

Louis twisted to flick him a look from his good shoulder.

 

"I mean here," Louis reminded. "Believe me, I'd be doing all kinds of things with you if we weren't here..."

 

Harry swallowed heavily.

 

"All kinds of things that aren't sex," he stated.

 

Louis nodded, with a bite into his lower lip. Of course. How could he forget?

 

"Exactly." He agreed.

 

Harry went about peeling off his old wound cover and hopped up to fetch some ointment to clean it with, frowning at the very angry-looking hole. He noticed the way Louis was gritting his teeth, the way he had paled and was clammy with sweat.

 

He eased back behind him, rubbing a hand comfortingly into his side.

 

"Hey, it's okay, almost done," he soothed.

 

Louis tipped his chin down, let the warmth of Harry's body behind him seep into his skin as some kind of comfort.

 

Harry re-dressed the bullet-hole with gentleness, laying kisses to Louis' shoulder as if to take away the pain. He helped Louis on with a t-shirt he'd put on the bed edge, slipping his arms around Louis' middle as he breathed heavy and fast to cope with the pain from his wound.

 

"You shouldn't have taken that bullet for me, Louis," he husked, fingers scraping lightly across Louis' lash scar on his ribs.

 

Louis sucked in a shaky breath and let it out.

 

"I promised I wouldn't let anything happen to you," he offered tiredly.

 

Harry shifted back and curled over, pulling Louis with him with careful insistence until they were spooning. He felt Louis instantly relax into the mattress and he pulled the cover across them, minding Louis' shoulder still.

 

"You're not supposed to get hurt because of me," Harry returned.

 

Louis smirked.

 

"That was the deal, Princess. I only let you come along if I could protect you..."

 

"I don't want you getting hurt because of me," Harry stated, tightening his arms. "It's time you let someone else protect you for once..."

 

Louis' eyes were heavy and dry. He closed them, sighing out.

 

"You're the only person who gets to do this, Harry," he admitted, cupping his hand over Harry's that lay on his ribs.

 

Harry worked his fingers apart wondering if Louis would-

 

Louis let his fingers fall in the gaps Harry's fingers created.

 

Harry nuzzled his hair.

 

"Go to sleep, okay?" He demanded lowly, voice rich with husk.

 

Louis didn't need telling twice. He gave into the call of the dark.

 

//

 

Louis was still pretty achy the following morning. He woke up and stretched and instantly felt the tight pull of muscles in his arm and he looked about the room, surprised to find Harry fully dressed and packing up their bags.

 

He glanced at the toe of the bed where a plate of cooked food lay- pancakes and syrup.

 

"Hey," he greeted, rolling up.

 

Harry turned and smiled at him, hand on hip.

 

"About time," he arched a brow teasingly. "It's still warm, I only just got back from the diner across the parking lot," he shared.

 

Louis shunted across the mattress to consume the fresh food.

 

"Mm," he rolled his eyes blissfully. "I miss this," he admitted.

 

He was sure his hair was in seven different directions and that the crinkles by his eyes were more prevalent since he was still in a lot of pain but Harry still took a moment to watch him.

 

"I cook," he said, and Louis knew that, remembered Harry telling him before.

 

"So you say," Louis retorted, mouth full. "Yet to be seen..."

 

"Well maybe after-" Harry paused, mid-sentence.

 

Louis looked up, saw the frown, the look of uncertainty cross Harry's face.

 

"After this?" Louis suggested.

 

"I mean...we said coffee," he shrugged.

 

Louis' smile grew, big enough to flash his teeth.

 

"We can do pancakes, too. I mean, it'd be rude not to try your cooking, right?" He posed.

 

Harry bit at his lip.

 

"I guess..."

 

"What's up, Princess?" Louis wondered.

 

Harry swallowed.

 

"Well, won't you have another job?" He asked.

 

"Not till my shoulder is better," he said. "I'm sure Li and Sophia will put up with me for a couple of weeks..."

 

Harry's eyes lit up with something then.

 

"Will you-I mean, you don't have to but, would you come to my fashion show?" He asked.

 

Louis darted him a look, brow arched.

 

"Are you asking me to be your date?" Louis was sure that's not what Harry was asking but-

 

"I guess-kinda, yeah," Harry murmured, cheeks blooming as he dipped his chin.

 

Louis climbed off the bed and grasped one of Harry's hands in his.

 

"That's some honour, are you sure?" he checked.

 

Harry's brows rose a little, he nodded with a tiny curve to his lips, all hopeful and excited. Louis wondered how he had managed to capture such a man and more importantly, how he had inspired him to ask him out.

 

"Wow, I'm awed," Louis admitted proudly.

 

Harry squeezed Louis' hand.

 

"Come on, we have to get moving," he reminded.

 

Louis nodded and dressed into jeans with his t-shirt, pulling on a beanie and leaving his scruff messy.

 

"Fuck knows who we are today," he mused as Harry took his hand and the bags to lead them out.

 

"Louis and Harry," Harry narrated and it reminded Louis of the last time when he had said 'us'.

 

He sat in the passenger seat after a short argument and much grumbling as they set off.

 

"I'm sure I can manage driving now," Louis pursed his lips sulkily.

 

Harry looked over.

 

"You cant even lift your arm, Lou," he mused.

 

And Louis was way too distracted by that shortening of his name to argue about driving. It wasn't weird between them the way he thought it might be after-well, after their shower and Louis liked that, really. He liked that sex wasn't a pressure on them at this moment, that what they had shared so far was locked safely in a bank of memories ready to be brought out whenever time allowed and then like this, they could snap back into work-mode and get on with the heist.

 

Louis checked in the mirrors regularly, happy that they weren't being tailed again yet but he was sure the other gang had ways of finding them and he wasn't even convinced they weren't waiting for them at the museum, planning an ambush or worse.

 

He frowned looking out of the window.

 

It wasn't ideal, having Harry driving in those circumstances. At least with the gang behind them Louis could almost predict their plan, protect Harry easily and move on with the diamonds. Now that the element of surprise came into it, he didn't want to risk any further injury or threat to Harry's life.

 

He cleared his throat, fingers trailing across his lips.

 

"I don't suppose you'd be interested in a compromise?" He posed.

 

Harry darted him a look.

 

"What kind of compromise?" Harry wondered, confused.

 

"One where you agreed to bow out and let one of my colleagues step in for the last stretch?" Louis offered.

 

Harry's lips pressed together and he sighed, his brows pulling heavily together.

 

"Right," he clipped with a knowing nod.

 

Louis blinked, sitting up a little. Harry thought he was trying to get rid of him. He was assuming Louis didn't trust his ability to get them there. Louis quickly reached out to curve a hand around Harry's thigh.

 

"This isn't about us right now, okay?" Louis quickly added. "Or you. Well, it is but only from a safety perspective..."

 

"I can get us to the museum, Lou," Harry stated, body rigid.

 

Louis bit into his lower lip.

 

"I know you can," he agreed. "But I don't know what these guys are planning now and I don't know if I can cope with the not knowing..."

 

"They're probably going to ambush us," Harry spoke his own thoughts aloud.

 

"Yeah," Louis nodded. "And you could get seriously hurt..."

 

"Like you?" Harry accused lightly.

 

"Its my job to," Louis sighed.

 

"Well, it's my choice," Harry arched his brows stubbornly.

 

Louis nodded, looking away.

 

"It is, you're right..."

 

"And I want to stay." He added.

 

Louis gazed at his profile, at his lovely long hair, his handsome features, the lips that were soft and pretty.

 

"Would it make any difference if I said I cared about you?" Louis asked, quiet and reverent.

 

Harry almost lost control of the steering wheel. He sucked in deep breaths.

 

"What?" He cast, confused and-

 

Louis smirked.

 

"I know, right? Sounds crazy. But I care what happens to you, Harry and I don't want to have to worry about you..."

 

When he put it like that, Louis made a good point. He was being selfish in asking Harry to step away so that Louis wouldn't have to bear the burden of responsibility but Harry also accepted the _intent_ wasn't selfish. The intent was to keep him safe. And it was a very _boyfriendy_ thing to say, to ask, really but Harry didn't mind that either. The time they had spent together- whether forced or not- equalled a month's worth of dating so far.

 

But-

 

Well, he hadn't really expected Louis to say it, maybe. He had maybe resigned himself to Louis being forever out of reach, afraid to love, to open up. But here he was, heart on sleeve, laying it on the line.

 

Harry thought about what he wanted to say before he opened his mouth.

 

"What you don't seem to get, Louis," he began, in that slow way of his. "Is that I care about you too. And that I also don't want to worry about you. Which I would, if you sent me away and made me wait for you. So yeah, it makes a difference," Harry conceded of Louis' statement. "But only because I want to be here with you even more."

 

Louis opened his mouth. He had absolutely nothing to say. So he closed it again.

 

That had completely and utterly backfired on him and he didn't even have words to eloquently express his thoughts. Harry seemed to take that as a minor victory and smiled smugly to himself.

 

A buzzing noise punctuated the silence in the car and Louis automatically answered the call, putting his cell to his ear.

 

"Tommo!" Liam greeted, far too jovial Louis felt.

 

"Yeah, it's me," Louis agreed, looking out of the window to avoid looking at Harry.

 

"So how's the shoulder?" He wondered.

 

"Sore," Louis rolled hit to test, frowning as pain radiated the bullet-site.

 

"Hm, guess that's what happens when you lose your touch," Liam teased.

 

Louis smirked.

 

"Right, like that's exactly what happened..."

 

"Is Harry distracting you?" Liam wondered lightly.

 

Louis bit his lip.

 

"Only in a good way," he shared quietly.

 

"Wow, didn't expect honesty," Liam mused. "I'm happy for you mate..."

 

"I'd be a lot happier if we were in Virginia already," Louis sighed, avoiding saying that he'd also be a lot happier if Harry was anywhere but here.

 

"Think you can manage the last leg?" Liam asked.

 

Louis flicked Harry a look.

 

"We'll get the diamonds to where they need to be," he assured and Harry looked over briefly, sucking in a breath of acceptance at Louis' support.

 

"Great. So one more stopover then you can drive straight for the mountains..."

 

"Alright," Louis mentally noted the motel Liam named. "We think they might be waiting for us..." he added worriedly.

 

"No need to worry, Tommo," Liam assured warmly. "You'll have a full military escort from the border..."

 

"What about before the border?" He posed.

 

Liam paused.

 

"I'm putting a guy on your tail as back up just in case. I can up it if you think you need it?"

 

Louis shook his head.

 

"No, it'll just raise suspicion and tip them off. Stick to the plan. We'll head for the border and hope we make it before we get shot at," he said.

 

"Hey, Lou," Liam hummed before Louis hung up.

 

"Yes, Li?"

 

"Don't let this one go," he said and Louis knew he was talking about Harry and even though his friend hadn't met Harry didn't know anything about him other than from the short conversations they'd shared, he still felt an overwhelming warmth fill his chest.

 

"Yeah?" he arched a brow, feeling entirely too gooey to be a professional thief right now.

 

"You know it," Liam mused. "And Sophia's making up the spare room already so we'll be looking after you when you get back, buddy..."

 

"Hey Liam...I love you, yeah? And Sophia. Tell her for me..." Louis sucked in a breath at his emotional words.

 

He almost heard Liam roll his eyes.

 

"Look, you're gonna come back safe, alright?" Liam assured. "You have a partner in crime now and anyway you know how much we love you so don't even start on the goodbyes."

 

Louis smiled at his words, the way Liam managed to lighten everything up.

 

"See you in a few days," he hoped.

 

"You sure will. Stay safe," Liam added before he clicked off.

 

Louis flicked a look in Harry's direction.

 

"You're letting me stay," Harry said and it was familiar.

 

"Well, I'm a fool for you what can I say?" Louis mused.

 

Harry shot him a grin.

 

"You are not," he accused happily. "Shut up..."

 

Louis folded his arms and settled a little in his seat.

 

"This not being in charge thing is kind of strange..." he admitted.

 

Harry arched a brow.

 

"Oh yeah?" He teased.

 

Louis grinned at him, catching a side-glance from Harry as he kept his gaze on the road.

 

"What about you then Princess?" Louis wondered helplessly.

 

Harry licked his lips.

 

"Bit of both," he offered honestly.

 

Louis' eyes lit up. He'd never met a guy who liked both before. Mostly guys either topped or bottomed. He may have just met his future husband, he realised.

 

And it was different, waiting but...it wasn't a horrible thought either. Louis maybe hadn't had too many hugs and tenderness in his past and now with Harry, he could have a whole lot of that before he even thought about anything else. It was nice, really but he also didn't understand how he'd softened so much within such a short time.

 

He didn't even know that about himself until Harry had gotten into his car- that he liked being kissed forever, that he wanted to take things slow. It was a revelation, one Louis assigned completely to the fact it was because of Harry it was even occuring. He couldn't imagine waiting for anyone else.

 

But there was something solid in that, too. That they would be committed, that they would fall in love...it was a strange kind of finality when he barely knew the long-haired god beside him and even more than that, Harry barely knew him.

 

For a guy who must be exposed to all walks of life, Louis wondered exactly what it was that he possessed that Harry liked. It was a mystery to him, one he couldn't fathom and he maybe didn't want to. Because he might break the spell and he wanted this witchcraft to last forever if he was honest.

 

Just because he'd never wanted committed before didn't mean he didn't want it now, with Harry. And if he thought about his job and how he'd make that work, he didn't like the squiggly feeling in his belly as a result. Harry deserved more than Louis being missing most of the year, returning home hurt and scarred. He deserved more than being a nurse-maid who worried constantly while Louis was gone.

 

But Louis was getting ahead of himself, really. He didn't even know that Harry wanted that with him yet. So he put his worries to the back of his mind and looked out of the window.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 

Louis must have drifted off because he woke up with a start, confused and disorientated. His hand naturally shifted to his gun, tucked into his jeans band while they travelled.

 

He blinked, looked around himself, found Harry driving with sleepily blinking eyes as he half-heartedly hummed along to the radio.

 

"Where are we?" He asked.

 

"Wichita, Kansas," Harry supplied. "Near the place you said Liam mentioned," he added.

 

"good," Louis nodded, appeased by the thought of being close to a rest. For Harry at least.

 

"So, will your show be okay without you there organising it?" Louis wondered then.

 

Harry gave him a grin.

 

"Yeah, I think my people can manage without me."

 

"What about your dress?" Louis asked.

 

Harry shrugged.

 

"My friend Niall was going to make it so I guess I'll go with whatever he's done for me..."

 

Louis leaned his head in his hand, relaxing once he'd checked the mirrors for followers and found none.

 

"You don't seem the kind to be happy parading down a catwalk in a gown," Louis considered.

 

Harry slid him a smirk.

 

"It's for the kids. I'd do anything for them, really," he admitted.

 

Louis nodded.

 

"What else is happening?" He asked.

 

"An auction...dates with the models from the show," Harry shared.

 

"You?" Louis arched a brow, piqued.

 

Harry shrugged.

 

"I'd be a hypocrite not to."

 

"And what's the prize?" Louis queried.

 

"Dinner I expect," Harry shrugged.

 

"Hm," Louis rubbed his chin in consideration.

 

"Lou, you're my date for the show already. You don't have to pay to take me to dinner..." Harry said, second-guessing Louis' thoughtful hum.

 

Louis gave him a crinkle-eyed smile.

 

"Wouldn't dream of it, Princess," he assured sweetly.

 

And Harry didn't bother to correct him anymore, had somehow come to like being called Princess because the way Louis said it was so affectionate, he couldn't even complain.

 

Harry pulled over at the motel Louis pointed out to him and they made their way inside.

 

//

 

Louis went through his suitcase of clothes to find his next persona but truthfully, hiding didn't really matter now because they were driving into the war instead of the war chasing them.

 

It had been a few years since he'd faced an aggressive attack and even though they had an armed escort meeting them in a matter of twenty miles or so, he didn't know what to expect up until that point.

 

He went out to the car and got his briefcase, loading up his guns one by one and safety-catching them before laying them back in the case carefully, a concentrated look on his face.

 

"Hey," Harry cupped his arm as he came out of the shower, damp and warm and in his briefs. "It'll be okay," he said.

 

And the words were empty to Louis but they still meant so much. He looked up, nodded once.

 

"We both wear vests tomorrow, okay?" He said and it was an equivalent of stating how much he had come to like Harry; it was his way of showing it.

 

"Okay," Harry agreed, pulling on a jumper and jeans to get dinner.

 

Louis tugged a basketball cap over Harry's curls.

 

"Get something really good, eh?" Louis encouraged. "Burger, chips, the lot..."

 

Harry smiled at him, snuck an arm around his waist and kissed his cheek as he pulled him close.

 

"Whatever you say, boss," he teased, letting go and heading to the door.

 

"And don't you forget it!" Louis called out as it clicked shut. He heard Harry's laugh on the veranda.

 

He turned back to his clothes and selected some black jeans with a black sleeveless top for tomorrow, deciding to go punk. He was about to head for the shower when he remembered he needed Harry to re-do his dressing if it got wet so he waited until he was back so they could eat first.

 

He sat on the bed and absently turned on the TV to entertain himself while he waited. There was a brief mention in the local news about the diamonds due to arrive at the museum but no specific details on how they were getting there or when they would arrive which Louis found reassuring. Liam was handling things as usual back at base. Not that Louis didn't think he would but he felt so isolated on the road, he put a lot of trust in his team and he was pleased they were pulling through.

 

He had no doubt in his mind that Perrie would be part the reception at the museum. She would have gone ahead to smooth things over with the curator, charming them all with her beautiful smile. Louis was so thankful for her and Liam right now, he couldn't even begin to imagine how he'd fare without them.

 

He checked his watch as time wore on, got up to flick back the curtain to check that Harry wasn't loping across the car park. The burger-place was only a stone's throw and there was no sign of him.

 

Louis decided to go and look. It wouldn't hurt to sneak across the car park until he could get a good look inside the place. If Harry found him then he'd just plead guilty to stalking. He didn't really care as long as Harry was okay.

 

He grabbed the keys and tucked his hands in his pockets, gun nestled into his hip near his right hand. It may be his injured shoulder but he still shot best right-handed.

 

He checked around him, sniffed the air. It was dark but lit with street-lamps, nothing untoward. He felt on-edge but he wasn't sure why. He looked back to check the car was still there where they'd parked it. It sat, stationary and void of life. He frowned.

 

He headed for the diner more quickly, eyes scanning the windows fervently to search for a tall, curly-haired man but none of the sweeps his eyes made turned up someone with that description. Louis began to feel sick, a nauseous worry began to gnaw at his stomach where hunger once sat.

 

He headed inside, flicking his head side to side, urgently seeking out his partner.

 

"Hey, darlin'" drawled the waitress.

 

"Hi," Louis frowned. "Have you seen a really tall guy? Brown hair, green eyes?" He asked right off.

 

The lady lifted her brows.

 

"What's the matter, your boy left you?" She cooed.

 

Louis snapped his ice blue eyes back to her.

 

"Have you seen him or not?" He barked.

 

She blinked.

 

"Nope."

 

Louis' eyes widened and his breath began to get short. He turned and rushed out onto the asphalt, running back to the room. He quickly turned out Harry's things, searching for the diamonds, finding the pouch missing.

 

_Fuck!_

 

The diamonds were gone and so was Harry! Where could they be?!

 

Louis ran a hand through his hair as his mind whirled, his eyes wild as he grabbed his cell and dialled.

 

"Li, I think I've lost him...I think I've lost Harry..." he breathed, eyes darting about in panic.

 

"What? Whoa, back up there's bit, Lou..." he soothed.

 

"Harry went out to buy us dinner, he was taking ages so I went to look and he wasn't there...the jewels are gone too..."

 

Liam was suspiciously quiet.

 

"Liam?" Louis snapped. "What have you done?"

 

Liam cleared his throat.

 

"I may have told Harry to keep the diamonds with him," Liam admitted. "He texted me from your phone to say you'd arrived at the motel," he added.

 

"Right, fine, but why?" Louis demanded, agitated.

 

"Look, I wouldn't usually make this kind of decision without you," Liam began. "But someone had to...you're hurt and Harry is a civilian..."

 

"Liam, what have you done?" Louis repeated, harder, slower than before, between clenched teeth.

 

"I may have put another guy in to get the diamonds out and take them to the museum..." Liam admitted quickly, breathily.

 

"What?!" Louis raged, roaring out the word. "You did what?!"

 

"Lou, you were both compromised," he reasoned "I had to-"

 

"Who?" Louis barked, cutting him off. "Who did you send?"

 

"Max," he offered. "It was a straight run and he's fast..."

 

"So where the fuck is Harry?" Louis demanded finally, his anger bursting out of his chest in painful waves.

 

If he could hit someone right now, he would-quite happily.

 

"I-Actually I'm not sure about that," Liam sounded bemused.

 

"What do you mean?" Louis asked, since Liam was hopeless at getting words out.

 

"I told Max to -nicely-get the diamonds off of Harry and run. Harry was meant to stay there with you..."

 

"HE'S NOT HERE LIAM!" Louis yelled down the phone, grasping his hair in his good hand while his shoulder complained at being moved enough to lift the phone to his ear. He ignored it.

 

"Well...do you think he refused to go like with you?" Liam posed.

 

Louis honestly felt like bursting into tears at this point.

 

"Call Max on another phone. Right now." Louis commanded.

 

Liam didn't even need to speak to affirm he was doing so.

 

"Max...yeah, It's Li...Look, do you know what happened to-"

 

Louis' ears strained to hear as Liam was cut off but he couldn't make out the words from the other phone.

 

"W-what?" Liam began to stutter, his voice soft and shaky.

 

Louis would absolutely kill Liam. And sack him. And maybe beg for a place to sleep still.

 

"Alright, keep on the trail...I'll get back to you..."

 

Louis sighed as Liam finished his call.

 

"Liam, tell me he's safe?" he begged.

 

He actually _heard_ Liam's swallow.

 

"When Max got there, Harry was being pushed into a black Audi," Liam relayed. "He had no choice but to follow it and he's still on their trail..."

 

Louis opened his mouth as his world fell out from under his feet. His heart stopped beating and he staggered back, falling uselessly onto the bed.

 

"He-what? How-I..."

 

"Lou, don't panic okay? They must have tapped into our phones, they knew Max was going and intercepted Harry before Max even had the chance..."

 

"But-"

 

"I don't know why they didn't just take the diamonds either," Liam mused bitterly. "Maybe they didn't know where he was hiding them..."

 

"Fuck!" Louis hissed, thumping the bed-spread.

 

"Lou, we'll get him out, okay?" Liam quickly assured.

 

"You could have fucking told me!" He accused sharply. "I could have got the jewels out of here and Harry away from the deal..."

 

"I'm sorry, Lou," Liam said then, soft and low. "I'm sorry, I didn't know..."

 

"Where was Max when you called?" He sighed, getting up to throw his things into his bag, grabbing Harry's and lugging them out to the car.

 

"Interstate 64," Liam shared. "Seems like they're trying to double back."

 

"Right, I know a short cut I can cut them off," he decided quickly. "And do me a favour? Call the Charleston PD and ask for Simon Cowell. He's the head, he can get his guys on this Audi like a rash..."

 

"Okay, will do," Liam agreed quickly. "Lou, are you okay to drive?" he checked afterwards.

 

Louis disconnected the call as he fired up the engine.

 

//

 

Driving one-handed was something Louis had learned to do at a young age. At twelve he was charging tractors around his fathers farm and since then driving became his forte.

 

He'd never had to drive whilst having trouble breathing, though. And he tried to calm his frantic heartbeat with deep. long breaths but images of Harry kept popping up behind his eyes and none of the scenarios he imagined him in were good.

 

He was probably bound and gagged and maybe beat-up, but Louis prayed, prayed hard and fast, that he was still alive. Maybe the gang would even kick him out of the car and leave him at the side of the road, it was the best he could hope for really.

 

He thought about Harry keeping the jewels in his pants, how they would have been unceremoniously ripped out. He hoped none of Harry's captors took a fancy to him, hoped none of them laid a finger on him otherwise his stitches would be ripped open when he exacted his revenge.

 

If Harry was bruised, he could just about handle it. If he'd been hurt in any way-forced or raped or-

 

He couldn't live with himself. He'd have to rip them all limb from lib and be locked up for life for doing so.

 

It was with those tight, angry breaths that he sped across state, going back down the route Harry had taken when he knew he could head them off. He just hoped Simon's officers would be right behind him when he did so.

 

//

 

Luckily for Louis, a road-block had already been set up. When he got there, they were allowing cars through unless it was an Audi in which case it was stopped and searched. Harry hadn't been found, yet.

 

Louis began to pace restlessly, wondered if the gang had gotten wind of the road-block and headed off-interstate but soon enough- predictably enough, the car arrived among the influx coming toward the Police barrier.

 

He let Simons' men do their work, watched as three men were pulled out of the car with their arms stretched behind their backs and pushed to the ground while they were cuffed. And he was biting his nails as he approached, not wanting to look in the back of the cars or the trunk.

 

He flicked his cool grey eyes towards one of the officers.

 

"Is he in there?" He checked.

 

The guy shook his head, shrugged.

 

Louis' mouth opened and hung, shocked.

 

"What?! he sucked in air, feeling dizzy.

 

"Whoa..." The officer advanced, grasping his elbow. "He's probably been left on the hard shoulder?," he suggested.

 

Louis frowned, hard and fierce.

 

"Jesus _fucking_ Christ!" he hissed, heading for the hard shoulder to walk down it in the opposing direction to the traffic.

 

"Hey, you shouldn't do that!" the officer called, ineffectively.

 

"Well I am!" Louis called back, panic swelling in his chest and leaving it hard to breathe.

 

He almost stumbled and fell as Max pulled up, running toward him.

 

"Louis, I've got him!" Max gasped, grasping Louis' shoulders.

 

Louis' eyes darted to his, questioning.

 

"He's okay," Max added and that seemed to make Louis' legs completely weaken because he fell into Max's body as his colleague quickly grabbed him.

 

"Thank god!" he cried, breathless and relieved. So, so relieved.

 

He moved back, letting Max guide him to the backseat of the car where Harry lay, unconscious and bruising evident on his face.

 

He flicked Max a look.

 

"I thought you said he was okay?" He accused.

 

"He's alive," Max shrugged confusedly and Louis stepped back as paramedics arrived at the scene to take Harry to the hospital.

 

Louis sat in the back of the ambulance, thumbs pressed into his eyes to stop himself crying. Harry was linked up to the oxygen tank and had been initially assessed. He had bruising on his ribs, his thigh and his face. Nothing more than a split lip and cut above his eye. It could have been much worse.

 

Max had the diamonds and was headed to the museum and Louis grasped Harry's hand lightly in his, promising to take Harry there once he was released from hospital so he could see the diamonds in their rightful place.

 

He brought Harry's hand to his lips and pressed them there, softly.

 

"You best wake up, Princess," he husked, long lashes hitting his cheeks in a rare moment of sentiment.

 

It was only now, as his heart rate slowed and his adrenaline dissipated that he realised just how worried he had been for the guy on the stretcher. And it had only taken a matter of days- maybe hours he conceded- to become quite so invested. He sighed out in acceptance of that, knowing he couldn't deny his feelings any more than he could deny he wanted to be here beside Harry more than anything else in the world. More than seeing the diamonds to their destination. It was the first job he hadn't completed and the first one he didn't actually mind giving up to someone else.

 

"You're more important," he told the unconscious figure on the bed, stroking his other fingers through his long, lovely hair. "You're more important than all of it..."

 

"We'll wake him up once we reach base," the attendant told him.

 

Louis looked up and smiled gratefully.

 

"Thank you."

 

The paramedic smiled back.

 

"You want to go with him? We'll say you're his spouse," he offered.

 

Louis nodded.

 

"Please," he begged and he didn't care what they had to say to get him to stay by Harry's side, he'd literally take it all right now.

 

The hospital was busy at admissions and Harry stayed asleep until they settled him in a private room-something Louis quickly paid for-and then Harry was brought round gently from his sedatives.

 

He blinked sleepily, green eyes dulled and confused as he tried to focus.

 

"Where am I?" He murmured, squinting at the nurse.

 

"You're in hospital," she replayed gently while Louis waited outside, like he had been asked to.

 

Didn't mean he couldn't stand right by the slightly-open door though.

 

"Where's Louis? Is he okay? What happened?" Harry asked in a rush, sitting up.

 

"Shh," Emma put a hand to his chest to ease him back down. "Louis is right outside," she assured. "You're both fine..."

 

"Where's Louis?" Harry asked again and Louis could hear the strain in his voice, the edge of tears.

 

He didn't care what Emma had to say, he came inside the doorway.

 

"I'm right here, Princess," he announced, arching a brow.

 

Harry looked over, tears clinging to his lashes.

 

"Lou!" He breathed out, holding out his arms and who was Louis not to walk into them, really? He'd wanted to hold Harry from the second he'd seen him laying in that car.

 

He didn't even try for graceful as he climbed onto the bed on his knees and went for a full body-to-body embrace.

 

"Fuck, fuck..." Louis buried his face into Harry's neck and straddled his thighs in trying to reach.

 

He felt Harry's arms tighten around him in response, felt the tell-tale wetness of tears on his cheek where Harry pressed his face.

 

Louis quickly stroked down the back of his head with one caring hand while he held Harry close.

 

"It's alright, Haz, you're safe now, okay? You're not hurt too badly we'll get you out of here soon, okay?" He soothed.

 

"I thought you'd get hurt," Harry sobbed, clinging to him. "I thought it'd be all my fault..."

 

"None of this is your fault," Louis denied. "And I'm fine, really," he assured. "Well, apart from having four heart attacks worrying about you..." he admitted softly.

 

Harry managed a hiccuped laugh.

 

"You did?" He smiled wetly as Louis as he pulled back.

 

Louis sat back on his thighs, barely caring what the hospital staff thought. He took one of Harry's hands in his.

 

"It was lucky I didn't crash the car," he mused.

 

Harry gave him a disapproving frown.

 

"You're not meant to drive yet..."

 

Louis scoffed.

 

"Oh right. You think I was going to leave you in the back of that car with that gang?" He argued, shaking his head.

 

Harry pitched his mouth to one side, dimple flashing.

 

"You could have got someone else to drive," he tried softly.

 

Louis merely grinned, thumbing his cheek with his good hand.

 

"You should really try dating someone else if rescuing you is a problem," Louis teased.

 

Harry met his gaze, held it with steady, lazy blinks punctuating the contact.

 

"Can I say ditto?" Harry asked.

 

Louis felt his smile deepen.

 

"Shut up," he husked softly.

 

"Make me," Harry invited, smirking.

 

"Happily," Louis returned, leaning forward to kiss him, gently since his lip was split.

 

Harry was softer when Louis pulled away, his cheeks were pink and he looked away bashfully.

 

"What?" Louis arched a brow.

 

"Doctor's here," Harry nodded toward the doorway where Louis twisted to see a young man in a medical coat.

 

"Oops," Louis hopped off the bed, wincing as his shoulder protested.

 

"Do you need an examination?" The doctor enquired to Louis.

 

"No-"

 

"Yes," he and Harry replied at the same time and Louis slid Harry a look.

 

"I'm fine..."

 

"He hasn't had his wound dressing changed for over a day," Harry supplied, sticking his tongue out at Louis.

 

"Why don't you go with Emma and she'll see to it," the doctor suggested.

 

Louis flicked Harry a look.

 

"I'll be back soon, okay?"

 

Harry nodded as the doctor took the clipboard from the end of his bed and came closer.

 

"Still dizzy?" He asked and Harry shook his head.

 

"Alright, well get up when you need the toilet and if everything feels okay we'll discharge you," he confirmed.

 

Harry nodded, laying back for a while. He'd wait until Louis was here to get out of bed. He wanted to see the look on his face when he realised Harry's butt was bare under his hospital gown. He smirked as his eyes slipped shut.

 

//

 

Harry didn't get a chance to flaunt his nakedness to Louis. He got up and got dressed while Louis was still MIA and he began to wonder about what happened now.

 

He checked all his belongings were in the small plastic zippie bag that had been locked up for safe-keeping and he was re-attaching his thin red wrist-band as Louis wandered back in.

 

For a fairly short guy, he had swagger. Harry let his eyes travel over that smaller form, filled with curves that pleased his eyes. Louis always looked amazing but his face was etched with pain- probably from the wound re-dressing.

 

"Eh, there you are," Louis greeted as Harry stood up.

 

He opened his arms, sighing as Louis walked into them, tightening his around Harry's middle.

 

"What's up, Princess?" Louis wondered.

 

Harry sighed.

 

"We have to go home," he said.

 

And Louis maybe hadn't thought about that, really. Hadn't considered what happened next.

 

"I'm taking you to the museum first," he quickly promised, squeezing Harry's hand. "Liam booked us on a flight tonight so we can go right now if you like..."

 

Harry leaned back enough to kiss his cheek.

 

"Thank you," he smiled, small and warm.

 

Louis smiled back, seemingly pleased at Harry's response.

 

"Well, you loved the diamonds so much we couldn't leave without you seeing them in the museum, could we?" He mused.

 

Harry shook his head but he knew that Louis' gesture was still inexplicably sweet no matter how much he played it down. He picked up his black knit jumper off the bed.

 

"Here," he held it toward Louis with his free hand. "It might ease the ache in your shoulder if you keep warm..."

 

Louis blinked up at him and let Harry help him on with the item in the middle of the corridor, taking his hand to lead him out of the hospital.

 

//

 

Louis had hired them a car to take them to the museum and when they got there, Harry had a swathe of emotions to process. He was over-the-moon that the jewels made it safely, that Louis was exactly what he said he was, that their mission was accomplished even with the few hiccups towards the end.

 

But he was also really, really sad. And he tried to fight the droop of his lips and the sulky pout his mouth seemed to form between bright-eyed moments and putting on a front for Louis.

 

Louis eventually noticed when they settled down together on the plane.

 

"What gives, Harry?" Louis mused. "Thought you'd be ecstatic that the diamonds are home," he added.

 

Harry nodded.

 

"I am," he offered softly.

 

"Then why the frown?" Louis elbowed him gently.

 

"It's over," he said, brows furrowing as his lips pushed out. "It's just-over," he said again, ineloquently.

 

Louis boldly reached into his lap for his hand and curled his around it.

 

"So? We're having tea tomorrow and it's your big night Saturday..." he bolstered.

 

Harry blinked. Tea. Louis hadn't forgotten. He didn't even really know why he had this feeling in his chest, this big gaping ache because he didn't really need to feel insecure, but he did. He felt like going back to reality would be a test for his feelings and maybe for Louis' too and he didn't want to lose Louis yet. Like Louis might want to fuck the first guy he saw when they got back home and Harry just couldn't give him that. Not without love attached.

 

"Haz, talk to me," Louis murmured, leaning over the arm rest toward him.

 

Harry shook his head and curled over, pushing his cheek into Louis' shoulder. He felt Louis stiffen at the contact- it was his bad shoulder- but then he turned his palm up, interlinking his fingers with Harry's in their hand-hold and Harry waited a moment until he felt the soft weight of Louis' head nestle against his.

 

"It'll be okay, you know," Louis began nonchalantly. "We'll still see each other and talk and-well, look, if you still want to kiss me after all this I'm not going to say no, alright?" He teased.

 

Harry burrowed deeper into Louis' neck, tracing a fingertip over Louis' to signal he was listening.

 

"Is it the flying?" Louis wondered then. "You're not scared are you?"

 

Harry shook his head. No, not scared of flying. _Scared of losing Louis_. Shame his mouth couldn't form those words to give Louis a chance here.

 

"'M not-like...I think-" Harry stumbled over his words.

 

Louis tightened his hand a little, brushed the pad of his thumb over Harry's knuckle.

 

"Hey, where's that stubborn, fearless guy who refused to leave my car?" Louis smirked to himself of the memory of how they met.

 

"I dunno I think he left," Harry mumbled into Louis' jumper.

 

Louis settled into his seat, his shoulder throbbing lightly but with Harry by his side, he could bear the pain. He'd bore much worse without a beautiful guy to ease him through it.

 

"Liam's getting me at the airport, we can drop you off on the way if you like?" Louis offered.

 

"Okay," Harry sighed and Louis frowned at his melancholy.

 

"Come on, Haz, what's with you?" He wondered.

 

Harry sighed again, sat up and knocked his head back, but keeping their hands entwined.

 

"I was really worried about you," Harry said huskily and it was probably the last thing Louis expected him to say, really. "And-well, I didn't want to tell you that."

 

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose as he ducked his head and let his long hair fall across his face like curtains to hide him.

 

Louis smiled bemusedly at him.

 

"What?" He asked softly.

 

Harry pressed his lips together and Louis trained his hair back, frowning at the bruising on Harry's cheek, the marks on his skin from being beaten. Louis brushed the backs of his fingers there.

 

"I'm sorry you got hurt, you know," he offered quietly.

 

Harry nodded, glancing at him.

 

"When they took me I wasn't even worried about getting hurt, all I could think about was if you were okay," he admitted.

 

Louis squeezed Harry's hand, reaching across to cup his bicep with his other.

 

"We were both worried," he arched a brow. "You're not alone in that."

 

Harry snuck a look at him, tilting his head sideways so that his fringe fell in his eye and made him squint.

 

Louis reached up and tucked it back. Harry let out a soulful breath.

 

"I guess it's just-going home," he offered of his melancholy. "It changes things."

 

Louis nodded. Harry was right, it did change things. It changed their dynamic, the reason they were getting up every day - no longer for the purpose of saving the jewels. In Louis' case he was getting a well-earned rest and recovery time for his shoulder. For Harry he was going back to his own reality which held a lot more stability than Louis' life offered.

 

And Louis couldn't help but wonder about that, about how he and Harry were so different, lived completely different lives with so many complex mis-matches that he didn't even know how to start reconciling them. But somehow when he thought about the way he felt when their lips met nothing else mattered apart from that, nothing mattered really apart from being with Harry.

 

Now he just had to say something to reassure Harry who was strangely insecure. And Louis found it bemusing as to why since Harry was definitely the superior one in their duo. He was taller, better looking and a much better person that Louis could ever be. And yet he seemed afraid of Louis running off as soon as they hit hard ground again.

 

"It changes for the better," Louis suggested. "I can get to know you properly without a gang of morons trying to kill us both..."

 

Harry peeked at him, leaning back in his chair. He blinked as his eyes lazily appreciated Louis' face.

 

"I can't wait to get to know you better," he said and it was soft and slow and when Louis looked into his hazy green eyes he thought maybe this was the moment he started falling in love with Harry Styles.

 

"What time and where are we meeting tomorrow?" Louis asked.

 

And it was probably the right thing to say because Harry's cheeks warmed, his lips curved and his eyes filled with something Louis couldn't quite place. Maybe fondness.

 

"You tell me, you're the boss," he quipped quietly.

 

Louis squinted, pursing his lips as he looked the roof of the plane, considering their options.

 

"How about Malcolm's on Jupiter Street?" he suggested.

 

"Afternoon?" Harry said.

 

Louis smiled.

 

"I thought tea was a morning thing..."

 

"What, can't even wait a whole day to see me again?" Harry teased, a warm feeling expanding in his chest.

 

Louis' eyes crinkled as he smiled.

 

"Wouldn't admit it anyway, Princess," he mused. "Is eleven good?"

 

Harry nodded.

 

"We'll both look rough as hell from having no sleep," he noted.

 

Louis arched a brow.

 

"If you ever look rough as hell I'd be willing to pay millions to see it."

 

Harry grinned, ducking his head.

 

"You'll see it tomorrow bring your cheque-book..."

 

"Deal," Louis nodded to finalise the plan.

 

It was a short flight, Louis napped on Harry's shoulder for the rest of it and Liam was waiting at the airport when they came through with their luggage. Louis was glad of the tired hug he and Harry had shared by the luggage carousel, leaning on each other for balance as they waited for their cases to chug by because without that, he and Harry would be going back to real-life with no physical contact to remember each other by other than what they'd shared on the flight there.

 

"Hey," Liam approached, hands in pockets, shoulders up by his ears in guilty apology.

 

Louis wasn't even mad, he just walked up to his friend and wrapped both arms around him tightly, sore shoulder ignored in favour of hugging.

 

"Hey," Louis breathed out.

 

Liam saluted Harry with two fingers over Louis' shoulder and when Louis moved back he stuck his hand out. Harry planted a bear-hug on him.

 

"Good to meet you," Harry offered with a twitch of his lips, not sure what to expect of the voice on the other end of Louis' phone but he was sure David Beckham hair and beautiful brown eyes weren't it.

 

"You too," Liam nodded. "You're not just a figment of Louis' imagination after all," he added with a wink.

 

Louis rolled his eyes.

 

"Shut up, Payno," he accused tiredly. "You taking me home or what?"

 

Liam grinned.

 

"And dropping Harry off, right?" He checked and Harry nodded.

 

Louis punched Liam ion the arm as they walked through the airport.

 

"And anyway don't think you're off the hook," Louis teased.

 

Liam offered a trite smile.

 

"I'm sorry Lou, I really am," he begged, checking on Harry who walked slightly behind them. "Harry, I'm sorry you got hurt..." he added.

 

"It's cool," Harry shrugged, smiling tiredly.

 

Louis snapped a look at Harry then back to Liam.

 

"I get why you did it and to be really honest, I would have done the same," he offered.

 

Liam bit his lip.

 

"Sophia's making your favourite for dinner tomorrow..." he tempted.

 

Louis sucked in a breath.

 

"Mozzarella Chicken with Parma ham?"

 

Liam nodded.

 

"And mash...I'm teaching her all the British foods," he added.

 

Louis slung his good arm around Liam's shoulder.

 

"You're a keeper. Thanks for letting me stay..."

 

"No problem...hey Harry, you want to join us for dinner?" He posed to the long-haired guy trailing behind them.

 

Harry smirked.

 

"No, me and Lou are having tea at eleven," he said.

 

Liam raised his brows at Louis pointedly.

 

"Need a lift?" he asked very innocently.

 

"No, I'll get a cab," Louis assured.

 

Liam shrugged.

 

"Alright," he agreed as they reached his jeep and he blipped it unlocked and helped Louis lift his suitcase up, Harry following suit.

 

Louis climbed into the back with Harry, glancing at the rear-view mirror only briefly before reaching across the upholstery to curl his fingers around Harry's hand.

 

Harry looked over, blinking slowly, the fatigue evident in his features and Louis covered a yawn with the back of his hand. He knocked his head back and closed his eyes.

 

//

 

"Tell him I said goodbye?" Harry murmured to Liam as Liam stopped outside Harry's house and Harry took a moment to finger Louis' new shorter locks and kiss his forehead.

 

"Will do," Liam agreed jovially.

 

Harry glanced at him.

 

"Is it weird, him coming back and we're-" he paused before defining what they were.

 

Liam down-turned his lips in thought.

 

"Not weird...nice," he chose an adjective.

 

Harry bit at his lip.

 

"Has he-?" He stopped again, mid-thought.

 

Liam watched him frown.

 

"No-one like you," Liam said only and Harry looked up, hope shining on his young-looking face.

 

He nodded, grabbing his case by the handle. He hugged Liam with one arm.

 

"Maybe I'll see you again?" He posed.

 

Liam nodded.

 

"Certain of it." Liam confirmed.

 

Harry waved at him and started up his path.

 

//

 

Louis made an effort for his tea with Harry.

 

While they were on the road in his many guises he wondered if Harry had trouble defining who the real Louis was but today he was every inch the Louis Tomlinson most of his friends and family recognised easily.

 

His hair was untidy but hidden under a thick-knit beanie he'd tugged on and he'd chosen black skinny jeans and a band t-shirt with black plimsolls and a denim jacket over it to ward off the spring chill.

 

He was nervous about today, he didn't mind the slight tremor in his hands contributed by the fact he'd had very little sleep, was still in a major amount of pain and was recovering from an adrenaline rush from the last two weeks.

 

The thought of seeing Harry again calmed him a little, made him feel warm inside and helped his smile stretch his face.

 

He slipped into the taxi as it pulled up, taking the back seat to be left with his own thoughts. If he knew California a little better he might even have realised when the driver started heading east instead of north. He might have recognised the road-signs didn't boast Bakersfield among them. He might have had an inkling that something wasn't right here and Bakersfield was the last place they were heading.

 

Louis didn't know California.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

 

Okay, Louis was late.

 

Only ten minutes but still. Harry sucked in a big breath as his heart fluttered, but not with excitement. With utter fear.

 

What if Louis wasn't coming?

 

He checked his phone. He hadn't had any messages, nothing to say either way that Louis was on his way or had changed his mind and Harry had felt sure yesterday that this was happening, that tea was most definitely their first proper date.

 

He checked his outfit of tight blue jeans and simple grey tee with a neckerchief and boots. He hoped it was date-worthy, hoped Louis still fancied him enough to come. He hoped Louis still fancied him enough to wait, too because Harry had a feeling it wouldn't be all that long before he'd be falling head-over-heels for the brash, sweet Louis he'd come to know so well these last few days.

 

When he'd dropped by his mother's house on the way here she had ribbed him silly about his 'look of love' and Harry knew it must be bad for her to forget all about the danger he'd been in. He needed to watch his facial expressions and make sure he didn't scare Louis off with his evident affection for the other man.

 

Louis was probably already intimidated by him, by the way he operated and well-

 

Harry really didn't want to lose him.

 

He waited until half-past before he called Liam.

 

"Haz," Liam greeted, short and familiar.

 

"Um...Did Louis leave the house?" Her asked, awkward and embarrassed. "I mean...did he say he was still coming to meet me?" He added.

 

Liam frowned.

 

"Yeah, he left a while ago...it's a two hour drive so..."

 

Harry bit his lip.

 

"Do you think he could be stuck in traffic?"

 

"He's not there?" Liam asked, and suddenly Harry's heartbeat spiked in his chest.

 

Liam was nothing if not an expert on these things and if he sounded worried, Harry knew he had a reason to be, too.

 

"No...I wasn't sure if I should-"

 

"Hold on," Liam cut him off and Harry was 90% sure he was dialling Louis' cell. He cursed and Harry heard movement.

 

Liam dialled the recall button on his home phone and waited for the taxi company to pick up.

 

"You picked up my friend this morning around nine," Liam said. "Can you tell me what time you dropped him off?"

 

"Customer didn't answer the door," the guy said. "We left."

 

Liam closed his eyes, letting out a quick breath. He remembered he still had Harry on the line.

 

"Harry look, don't panic but something's happened," Liam explained. "I'm not sure what but I'll find out and I'll call you back..."

 

"Liam?" Harry questioned unsurely.

 

Liam sighed.

 

"Louis wasn't here when the taxi came for him," he shared. "I need to do some investigation..."

 

Harry opened his mouth to say something but he realised Liam's need to get off the phone.

 

"Alright um...call me," he begged. "Please."

 

Harry listened to the click of the call ending and felt his stomach lurch making him gag.

 

Louis wasn't okay. He was missing. Possibly hurt, maybe-

 

Harry reached for a bin and heaved, but nothing came up. When a few passers by gave him strange looks he receded through the crowd back to his car. He ended up spilling his guts on the side of the freeway, heading home to wait for Liam's instructions.

 

Louis needed him and he was more than ready to fight for him.

 

//

 

Liam's call felt like it came two days later when in fact it was two hours. Harry hadn't even really known how capable he was of worrying about someone until now. And he was very capable he realised.

 

He answered his phone with shaky fingers.

 

"Hello?" He greeted, cautious and slow.

 

"Harry, I don't know even know where to start, mate," Liam sighed and Harry felt his heart sink, felt his guts twist with fear.

 

"Just tell me," he begged, throat raw with emotion. And it shouldn't be, he shouldn't be this caught up in Louis' welfare but somehow he was.

 

And even if they weren't meeting for a date today he would have still cared what happened but-

 

Well the fact they were meeting for a date made this so much harder. And harder still because Harry had tasted Louis' sweetness and wanted more.

 

"Liam, please," he husked, forcing the words out.

 

"Seems the taxi took another route. The gang that wanted the diamonds have decided that Louis is the key to their treasure and they've managed to kidnap him..."

 

Harry's heart stopped.

 

"What? But they took me too and-"

 

"I know," Liam soothed with a gentle voice, apparently a lot calmer than Harry right now. "They probably think they can blackmail some information out of him for another heist..."

 

Harry closed his eyes and squeezed them shut, fisting his free hand.

 

"Do you know where they've taken him?" He asked.

 

"Somewhere by the docks according to my calculations. Max is on his way with Jess as we speak..."

 

"I'm going too," Harry stood up from his sofa, running a hand through his long hair.

 

He grabbed a hair band and wrapped it around his hair into a high bun.

 

"You cant Haz, it's not safe. Let them stake the place out and work out a way to get inside and we'll get him back, okay? Look I know these guys, they're thugs not seasoned kidnappers. They might knock him about a bit but they won't pull out fingernails or-"

 

"Knock him about a bit?" Harry cut in, horrified.

 

Liam cleared his throat.

 

"Louis can handle a few bruises," Liam offered.

 

"No," Harry denied, striding towards his front door and grabbing his keys. "He shouldn't have to handle anything, he's already handled enough..."

 

And Harry knew he probably sounded like some love-crazy fool right now as he quickened toward his car but he didn't much care. All that mattered was Louis.

 

"Haz, please, just try and stay calm about this. Come to mine if you like, Sophia will make you something and we'll wait for news together..."

 

"You either tell me where to go or I'll look myself," Harry threatened lightly.

 

Liam made a disbelieving sound.

 

"Harry, come on, you're not really-"

 

"I am," he promised, deadly even in his tone. "And you can either help me or let me fuck up the stake out," he offered.

 

Liam swallowed.

 

"What are you planning on doing when you get there?" he hedged nervously.

 

"Depends what they've done to him," Harry mused in a voice Liam wasn't used to hearing. "Now tell me where to go..."

 

Liam gave Harry the instructions reluctantly, forcing him to promise not to go running in all guns blazing. Truth of the matter was that Harry was pretty sure he couldn't rescue Louis with guns blazing anyway since he struggled to keep aim and he didn't actually have a pistol left.

 

He'd pulled on his bullet-proof vest under his t-shirt and added a plaid shirt and set off for the journey, trying hard to figure out a plan of action as he drove.

 

//

 

It took an hour to get to the dock and Harry found Perrie and Max parked up with binoculars, looking every inch the casual couple making out by the river.

 

Max was surprised to see Harry there but was quick to caution him about making any bold moves since it might make Louis' captors flighty but Harry didn't have much regard for patience when it came to getting Louis out.

 

"So what's the plan, then?" He asked, squinting through dangerous lashes at the other man. Perrie got out of the car and squeezed Harry's hand in comfort.

 

"We have to wait until one of them comes out before we strike," Max shared. "There's maybe two others left inside, we can draw the other out with Perrie as bait and I can take the last guy myself..."

 

Harry frowned.

 

"I want to be there, when you go in," he stipulated.

 

Max blinked then nodded. "Alright," he agreed and Harry guessed then that Liam must have warned Max of his presence because he didn't expect this professional thug to agree to his terms otherwise.

 

"Alright," he sighed, slipping back into his own car to wait.

 

He must have fallen asleep because he woke with his arms folded across his chest and a light tapping on the window. Max gestured him out.

 

"Come on, time to move," he said and Harry wasn't sure how long he had been out but it was dark and cold like it was at dawn so he guessed a good few hours had passed.

 

He folded out of the car, glancing toward the building where Louis was being held and the breath hitched in his lungs.

 

"Here," Max pressed a gun into his hand. "Just in case."

 

Harry nodded and tucked it into his jeans band just like Louis taught him. _Louis_. Who was maybe hurt and so alone right now. Harry wondered if he ever felt afraid and he remembered the day after Louis had been shot when he'd begged Harry not to leave. Had kissed him like it was the last time he'd get to do so. He couldn't wait to kiss Louis again like that.

 

He headed after Max, lip bitten between his teeth in concentration. Perrie headed up the stairs to act as a damsel in distress, she would draw out one of the crooks on the pretence of breaking down outside and then Max and Harry would storm the apartment to save Louis.

 

Harry was a minor accomplice really, more a thorn in Max's side if Harry thought about it but he felt adrenaline lace his veins as Perrie led the unsuspecting kidnapper toward the car. He didn't wait to see how Perrie would immobilise that guy, just knew she would easily and with the kind of expertise he somewhat envied. Even a girl could take down a guy better than he could. Just his luck.

 

He followed Max through the doorway, flattening against the wall as Max knocked on the front door. Before it opened he also flattened against the wall and when the door gave way, he pointed his gun in and shot, no questions asked.

 

Liam was right about one thing, that this gang did not know what they were doing. They guy staggered back, falling with bloodied hands clutched to his belly and Harry might have felt a pang of sympathy for him if it wasn't Louis trapped in this room.

 

He began to search him out, pausing as Max pressed a hand to his shoulder as they reached the bedroom closet.

 

"There might be a trap," Max murmured, sliding back the closet door and aiming his pistol inside.

 

Louis was curled up, wrists and ankles bound together keeping him there. He was gagged and blindfolded and Harry didn't want to think about how hurt he might be right now. He dropped to his knees and began working at the rope knots with numb fingertips.

 

"Here," Max flipped a blade and passed it to him so Harry could slice through the ropes, tugging off Louis' blindfold and gag after slicing through them, too.

 

"Jesus, about time," he breathed while looking at Max and if Louis wanted to get out of the closet it was too bad because Harry kneeled over and pulled him tight into his arms, half-hauling him into his lap.

 

Louis folded his arms around Harry's shoulders with a bemused chuckle.

 

"Eh, alright, Princess?" He checked. "I'm alright..."

 

Harry turned his lips into Louis' neck, holding him tighter.

 

"We might need a minute," Louis suggested to Max over Harry's shoulder.

 

"Might need a lifetime," Harry muttered only Louis wasn't sure what he meant.

 

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Louis offered as he rubbed a hand over Harry's shoulder gently.

 

"Shut up," Harry breathed out shakily, kissing into his skin.

 

Louis pulled away, braced tight thumbs against Harry's cheeks before he kissed him, strong and hard. Harry wouldn't have to guess at Louis' emotions because he poured them out of his lips in that kiss. And even though he tried to lead it, Harry's ultimate protective embrace allowed him to kiss the living daylights out of him and Louis gave himself up to fate the same way he had from the start.

 

He thumbed Harry's cheek as Harry drew back, lashes damp with tears.

 

"I might have another scar," he admitted gently.

 

Harry immediately frowned, pulling back.

 

"Where? What did they do to you?" He demanded instantly.

 

Louis smiled softly and took Harry's hand and cupped it in his, laying it against his heart so that Harry's hand covered it underneath his own.

 

"It broke my heart not turning up to our date," he admitted then.

 

Harry shuffled back with Louis in his lap so they were no longer crouched in the closet. Louis straddled his hips as he rested his weight on his backside, knees bent to press nicely against Louis' backside as Louis draped his good arm over Harry's shoulder and the other pressing Harry's hand to his chest still.

 

"Broke my heart to hear you'd been taken," Harry shared then.

 

"If my mouth wasn't as dry as the desert, I'd kiss you again," Louis husked quietly.

 

Harry clutched at Louis' chest with tender fingertips and cupped his face with his other.

 

"I don't care, kiss me anyway," he hummed. "Please, Lou," he added in begging plea.

 

Louis grazed his dry, rough lips against Harry's slicked ones and he gasped as Harry's tongue slicked across his to wet them and soon they had plenty of saliva to share and it was probably the sexiest kiss Louis had ever shared with someone. His throat scratched, his skin hurt and his body ached and he couldn't deny he had been terrified for a while there. He knew they would be coming for him but he hadn't expected Harry to be one of those faces when he finally opened his eyes.

 

And now they were kissing like they would have been had their date ended well. Louis smiled as the thought popped up and just as Harry realised and began to pull away, a shadow filled the doorway.

 

 

"We have to go," Max stated, offering a sorry smile.

 

Louis got up and stretched his cramped legs, taking Harry's hand as Max led them out into the night.

 

Harry paused by his car, hip leaned into his door as Louis de-briefed with his team. Harry noticed the police were there in a plain car, no long questioning involved. Louis walked toward him, small and tired and-

 

"Liam's place is an hour away," he offered.

 

"And mine," Harry said, deep and husked.

 

Louis flicked him a look.

 

"We could get a hotel for the night?" He suggested only for Harry to shake his head.

 

"No more hotels. Let's do normal for once," he suggested and Louis agreed wholeheartedly. Another hotel just reminded them that they weren't free yet, weren't home.

 

"Ok then, my place or yours?" Louis arched a brow, a glint of mischief in his blue-grey eyes, underneath the swell of fatigue and shadow of stress.

 

"Yours?" Harry offered since he didn't know how Louis felt going to a stranger's house particularly after being kidnapped. "Liam and Sophia will want to see you're okay," Harry added.

 

Louis grasped his hand for a moment.

 

"You're something else, Harry Styles," he complimented.

 

Harry pulled Louis close by his hand and wrapped him up again with a big sigh.

 

"We should probably get going," he decided as he pulled away reluctantly.

 

Louis fisted a hand in his tee.

 

"Hey. Thanks for saving me," he said, biting at his rough-skinned lower lip.

 

"Any day," Harry assured with a little smile, heading for the driver's side of the car.

 

//

 

Liam and Sophia had given Louis a really long hug before he was allowed to shower and get ready for bed.

 

Liam folded out the sofa-bed while Sophia collected extra bedding and Harry helped her put it on.

 

"Are you alright, Harry?" She checked. "Bit of a weird day..."

 

Harry nodded.

 

"Yeah, I'm just glad he's okay," he admitted shyly, softly.

 

"You can stay as long as you like or whenever you feel like it, okay?" She extended. "Both you and Louis are more than welcome here."

 

"That's very kind," Harry smiled. "Thank you."

 

Liam tutted, arms folded mock-angry.

 

"She invites all kinds round I could get a complex..."

 

"Shush," Sophia grasped Liam's chin and forced a kiss onto his lips. "I like having guests..."

 

Liam let her kiss soothe him.

 

"Yeah, alright," he agreed easily. "If it makes you happy..."

 

"Thank you, though," Harry added to the other guy. "Thanks for having me..."

 

Louis padded through the living room in a hoodie and his boxers, his slim legs more apparent with the largeness of his top. Harry squinted. It was his dark-green Green Bay packers hoodie. Louis must have filched it from their road trip. He looked too good in it for Harry to mention the steal.

 

He laid on the bed waiting for Louis to join him.

 

"Hey, is your thing tomorrow?" Louis checked, sighing tiredly with a yawn as he settled, deliberately spooning Harry's back.

 

Harry swallowed.

 

"Yeah, but we don't have to go..."

 

Louis rubbed his cheek into Harry's shoulder.

 

"No way I'm missing seeing you in this gown of yours," he mused.

 

Harry smiled softly, sleepily.

 

"It's green. Like my jumper you're wearing..."

 

Louis grinned into his shoulder. Harry's vest left a little glimpse of skin for Louis to taunt with his lips.

 

"Oops," he offered.

 

Harry reached back for his hand and twined their fingers, resting it against his ribs.

 

"It's yours now," he added in a murmur.

 

"Hm," Louis nodded, settling down.

 

"Like me," Harry whispered into the dark, hearing Louis' even breaths the heaviness of his sleep-breathing reassuring somehow.

 

_I'm yours Louis Tomlinson, now what will you do with me?_

 

Harry fell asleep clutching Louis' hand in his.

 

//

 

Louis scrubbed up nicely. Or so Sophia had told him when she caught him checking his reflection in the full-length mirror in the hallway before he left.

 

He'd grown his scruff out, tidied his hair and put on a well-fitted black suit. Louis thought he might just do.

 

Maybe not enough to be worthy of dating Harry, but enough to be seen at the fashion show and auction tonight.

 

Liam offered to drop him off and Louis booked a hotel in Bakersfield for the night not wanting to risk using a taxi company again since fear still laced his veins from his last capture.

 

He was only lucky to have walked away with bruises. Which reminded him. He turned his bad cheek toward the mirror, wincing at the darkness there, thinking along with the split lip he probably looked like some kind of drug dealer staggering in off the street.

 

Still, he had promised Harry and he wasn't about to let his ego get in the way of that promise.

 

As he settled in the car beside Liam, Louis cast his mind back to this morning when they'd woken up together, soft and essentially relieved that they were both still here, both still breathing and no further abductions had taken place. Louis had kissed Harry a few soft, sweet times before his lip had protested and Harry had held him for long after while they talked, low and husky.

 

When Liam and Sophia had woken up and made breakfast they'd gotten up and Louis had said a rather reluctant goodbye to Harry as he left to get back to his charity before the big night.

 

Louis felt weird with a stiff shoulder still bearing a gun-shot wound and further knocks to his body aching away in a dull reminder of his work. And Harry's bruises were almost gone but he had make-up to cover his. Louis still found it hard to believe Harry wanted him there tonight, cheering him on.

 

Liam dropped him off with a manly handshake and a reached hug across the car.

 

"Go get him tiger," Liam winked.

 

Louis rolled his eyes.

 

"Let's just see if he's still into it, hm?" He hedged.

 

Liam laughed as he drove away but Louis wasn't quite sure what was funny. He looked up to the entrance of the venue and sucked in a breath. He wouldn't normally feel intimidated, had probably infiltrated these kinds of events more times than he could remember.

 

But this was the first time he was entering by the front door with no motive to steal anything and it was both exhilarating and frightening. Louis was sure if Harry wasn't firmly printed in the back of his mind he would have run screaming by now. He walked forward purposefully, clearing his throat as he eyed the bouncer.

 

"Louis Tomlinson," he introduced, cracking his knuckles nervously as the guy looked down the list.

 

"No Tomlinson listed," he frowned.

 

Louis' lips parted in silent shock. Harry hadn't listed him?

 

He watched as the guy picked a walkie-talkie off his jacket pocket.

 

"Mr. Styles, there's a Louis Tomlinson here?" The bouncer introduced into the mouthpiece which crackled loudly when he let go of the transmit button.

 

"Very funny Paul," Harry's voice sounded down the line, "You know what to do."

 

The bouncer- _Paul_ -looked at Louis then with a warming smile.

 

"Sorry, I was just playing with you," he teased. "Harry told everyone to make sure you were brought straight to his changing room," he added in explanation.

 

"Oh," Louis swallowed and rubbed his hands together and his palms were sweaty but he wasn't sure he'd ever been this nervous before. Not when he played poker-face with the world's best card player, not when he pick-pocketed six angel emeralds from a notorious drug-lord's inside jacket pocket, not when he faced the barrel of a gun head-on and not even in the trunk of the car last night when he was taken.

 

"This way," Paul strode ahead of him and Louis concentrated to keep up.

 

Paul paused outside a dressing room door once they were backstage, knocking gently.

 

"Haz, I've got your Louis here," he announced.

 

Harry swung the door open with a grin, dimpled peaking.

 

"Remind me why I hired you?" He accused fondly to the security guy before his gaze switched to Louis.

 

Louis' mouth was suddenly very dry. Harry was naked but his underpants.

 

"Jesus," he breathed.

 

Harry's gaze slid down him too as Paul receded back down the corridor.

 

"Wow," Harry hummed, low and appreciative and his eyes sparkled.

 

Louis could give up all the gems in the world to see those green orbs fill with that mysterious emotion that made them light up.

 

"I know," Louis sighed, tipping his head. "I probably look ridiculous but-"

 

He didn't finish his excuse because Harry stepped forward, snaked an arm around his middle and pressed his lips insistently against his, taking a slow and urgent kiss.

 

Harry's eyes trailed up and down his face as he pulled back slightly.

 

"Wow," he said again, softer huskier.

 

And then he kissed Louis again, swiping his tongue over Louis lower lip, the one that was injured and he sucked in a little breath at the sting of saliva entering the cut but he didn't care about much else as he clung to Harry's shoulders.

 

"Sorry...sorry," Harry suddenly pulled away, remembering Louis' fragility.

 

Louis thumbed his cheeks.

 

"Never be sorry for kissing me," he said openly. "Promise?"

 

Harry let a slow smile crawl onto his lips as a blush dusted his cheeks.

 

"Alright," he agreed.

 

Louis swallowed.

 

"Do you need help getting dressed?" He asked.

 

Harry shook his head.

 

"Niall is here, come and meet him," he turned back to the changing room and Louis grasped his hand and tugged before Harry made it inside, slipping his hand onto Harry's butt cheek and kissing his cheek quickly.

 

"You look amazing by the way," Louis offered and Harry was bemused by the compliment.

 

Louis had never said sweet things while they were on the road and it was a pleasant surprise. Harry paused near him with a smirk.

 

"Save the sweet-talk for later, Lou," he mused.

 

Louis followed him into the room slipping his hands into his pockets.

 

"Hey Nialler, meet Louis," Harry called as he walked toward a shorter blonde guy who was struggling to carry a green silk dress.

 

"Oh, Jesus, finally," Niall breathed, his accent strong and thick and Louis quickly placed is as Irish.

 

Louis quirked his brows up.

 

"Lou, meet Niall, my best friend," Harry added, palm out towards the other man.

 

"Nice to meet you Niall..." Louis offered.

 

"Help me would ya?" Niall asked, dumping half of the fabric in his arms onto Louis before he had much of a chance to adapt the right posture to accept the load. The way the material scuffed his hair reminded Louis of all those times Harry climbed into his front seat from the back, his behind having the same hair-wrecking effect.

 

Louis pursed his lips to tame his predatory grin.

 

"Harry for Christ's sake stand still would ya," Niall huffed. "Bend at the waist and dive in the middle," he instructed of his creation.

 

Harry slid into the tunnel of green silk, standing up slowly as Niall tugged the material down and Louis watched the revelation of the dress occur in slow motion.

 

It was dipped low in the centre like fashion dresses were now only Harry's swallow tattoos and his butterfly were proudly sported as was the inside of his pecs- his cleavage per se- and his belly.

 

Louis licked his lips, feeling strangely attracted to seeing him in this feminine get up.

 

"Are you having make-up?" Niall asked his friend.

 

"Nah," Harry flipped his long hair to one side. "Figured this would be statement enough..."

 

Niall arranged the dress perfectly over Harry's form, reaching for the jewels they'd managed to borrow instead of the diamonds that were safely tucked away in Virginia right now.

 

The waterfall of sparkling clear gems cascaded to Harry's collarbones and the cuff dangled prettily off his wrist. Harry twisted his lips as he tugged at the red cotton strip Louis was used to seeing.

 

"I should probably take this off," he considered.

 

Niall nodded widely with a brow arch, gesturing over the make-up artists who had been hired to powder Harry's face and give him enough colour under the lights. They talked while Louis wrapped a hand around Harry's red-wrapped wrist.

 

"Keep it on if you want," he encouraged.

 

Harry flicked him a look. Louis' words meant so much, more than he probably knew. But his patience meant a lot more.

 

"Will you look after it for me?" He asked and Louis kept his gaze, long and steady.

 

"Of course," Louis agreed and Harry began to unpick the knot, laying the red cotton into Louis' palm. Louis threaded it through the top button hole of his jacket, knotting it loosely. "Safe and sound," he promised.

 

Harry gazed at him a second longer, a small smile flirting the edges of his lips.

 

"Hurry up and kiss him so we can get your make up done," Niall called behind Harry, making Harry startle a little, forgetting where he was for a moment.

 

"I'm not having make-up, I told you..."

 

"Over-ruled," Niall instructed and Harry rolled his eyes but he turned back to Louis and cupped his neck, kissing his mouth gently.

 

"Maybe later," he murmured and Louis hoped that threat came true.

 

"I'm going to find my seat and let you get ready," Louis suggested. "Who am I sitting with?"

 

"My mom!" Harry called and Louis lifted his brows, the breath leaving his lungs as he choked a little.

 

"What?!" He stuttered.

 

"She's cool, don't worry," Harry assured.

 

Louis smiled weakly and turned for the door. He looked back to see Harry having make-up applied to his eyes.

 

This was going to be some night Louis mused. Some night.

 

//

 

Anne Styles was actually a reasonable woman. It seemed to Louis that Harry had maybe told her quite a lot about him because she seemed to reference things that Louis had no idea how she would know about otherwise.

 

It wasn't as awkward as he expected.

 

And the fashion show was amazing, it wowed all the right people and the crowd were excitable probably due to the large contingent of teenagers strutting the catwalk along with Harry but still.

 

Harry's green silk dress brought the house down.

 

The bidding began right after the final runway walk and Louis was determined to win this one, paying over ten thousand dollars to take Harry on a dinner-date.

 

It was worth it just to see his mouth-wide-open look as Louis headed on stage.

 

The auctioneer and event narrator got to Louis before Harry could.

 

"Wow, that's a lot of money for one date," Ben commented.

 

Louis arched his brows and pursed his lips, clapping his hands together.

 

"Yeah...I'd like to think I bought myself more than one maybe," he teased.

 

Ben grinned.

 

"Well what do you say to that Harry?" he asked.

 

Harry flicked a scathing look at Louis and then gave Ben his attention.

 

"I'm pretty speechless to be honest," Harry admitted bemusedly.

 

"But what do you think looking at this guy? More than one date?" Ben made Louis do a full turn and Louis grinned, mock pumping his bicep.

 

The crowd cheered for him while Harry deliberated. Harry couldn't help it. His eyes filled with warm fond and his lips split into a smile that released his full dimples.

 

"Yeah I think I could manage two," he finally said, smirking.

 

Louis reached across Ben to poke Harry in the ribs, where he knew he was still bruised. Ben chuckled and made a comment that they seemed to know each other which they both ignored.

 

"So what do you think of Harry's final outfit for the show tonight?" Ben was still determined to make Louis talk it seemed.

 

Louis let his gaze slide down Harry's body, broad shoulders to slim hips and the green swathe that was attractively hanging off his frame.

 

"He's just stunning isn't he?" Louis offered.

 

Ben clapped him on the back.

 

"So just to put it out there, you don't mind your guy looking a bit girly for the night?"

 

Louis flicked Ben a narrowed look.

 

"He can wear what he likes," Louis assured.

 

And even though Harry's eyes had been made up and he was far more effeminate than Louis had ever seen him looking before, he meant it.

 

"Okay, before the audience completely fall in love with you, perhaps you would like to tell us your thoughts on 'Straight Up'," Ben coaxed of Harry's charity.

 

Louis smiled at Harry who was nervously jigging his leg, hands behind his back.

 

"It's an amazing cause and I'd be happy to contribute in anyway I can," he insisted. "No teenager should have to go through their toughest years alone," he added.

 

And Harry frowned thoughtfully at that statement, wondering if Louis _had_.

 

"So Harry, looks like you bagged the perfect man, are you looking forward to you dinner date?" Ben asked.

 

Harry smiled sweetly. Too sweetly, Louis' knew.

 

"I can't wait," he assured briefly and he took Louis' hand as they headed down the runway toward the corridor that led backstage to the changing rooms.

 

Luckily for Louis, Harry's mom threw herself on him the second they stepped into the changing room.

 

"I'm so proud of you, love," she breathed, hugging him hard.

 

"Thanks mom," he rolled his eyes behind her back.

 

Louis gave them a moment and went to fetch some drinks but by the time he finished talking with everyone that stopped him and made his way back, Harry was dressed back into a black suit- black shirt mostly unbuttoned.

 

"Sorry," Louis pushed the champagne glass at him. "Took forever..."

 

Harry smiled and stood up.

 

"A toast," he said and Louis smirked.

 

"Go on then," he challenged.

 

Harry blinked, pressing his lips together. The way his hair was long and curled into his neck was a minor distraction for Louis who brought his gaze back to Harry's with a quick flick.

 

"To our first date," Harry posed, leaving Louis speechless.

 

In all the madness, he'd almost forgotten that fact. He arched a brow.

 

"To many more," he replied, lifting his glass.

 

Harry clinked them, gulping down the wine to grin broadly at Louis. He felt an excited whoosh burst in his chest, like fireworks going off. To many more. He hoped Louis meant it.

 

"Are you in the mood for a dance?" Harry wondered, nodding to the dance floor which was filling up already.

 

There was a buffet opening soon but Harry wanted Louis to himself right now. He looked so good in his suit and he didn't want to let Louis out of his sight again for the rest of the night.

 

"As long as you mind my toes," Louis bargained, letting Harry lead him to the dance floor and if Harry had hoped for a moment alone, he was mistaken.

 

The youngsters that his charity helped out were besotted with he and Louis, started some kind of hero-worship circle where they all danced and Harry soon gave himself up to it, letting Louis pull him close when a slow song came on.

 

"So, tonight," Louis hummed in his ear.

 

Harry smiled.

 

"Hm?" He made a sound registering his acknowledgement and question in one, arms wrapped around Louis' shoulders as Louis' wound around his waist and they swayed, thighs mixing in their proximity.

 

"Do you...uh..." Louis' voice caught in his throat and he let his lips drag against the sensitive skin by Harry's ear, brushing the extremity as he cleared his throat and started over. "Do you want to stay with me in my hotel room?"

 

It was Harry's turn to hitch a breath. He pulled away, face creasing.

 

"If we can just-I mean..."

 

Louis quickly thumbed Harry's cheek, hand cupping his face.

 

"Of course," Louis assured quickly, knowing Harry's unspoken words were around his fear of Louis wanting more.

 

Harry nodded, eyes wide almost innocent.

 

"Okay," he breathed.

 

Louis leaned up and kissed his cheek.

 

"I think we have to socialise...at least you should," he teased.

 

Harry ducked down and stole a tender kiss from Louis' mouth first.

 

"If I have to," he teased with a warm voice and a reluctant smile.

 

Louis smirked.

 

"Shall I find us more drink?" He suggested.

 

Harry shook his head.

 

"Want to sober when I kissed you goodnight," he explained. "And-"

 

He reached to pick up Louis' hand, twining their fingers.

 

"You can come and meet people with me," he said.

 

Louis blinked at him for a moment, speechless.

 

"Unless you'll be bored senseless..." Harry offered, unclasping his fingers.

 

Louis tightened his.

 

"No, not at all I just-" He lifted his brows. "I was surprised you asked that's all..."

 

Harry tugged him over to a small group of ladies who he instantly charmed.

 

"Louis, I'd like you to meet my office staff- at least the female contingent," he added ruefully and Louis grinned, never letting go of Harry as he greeted them all in turn.

 

In fact Louis made a point of always being in contact with Harry for the rest of the night, clinging to his jacket-sleeve, finger through his belt-loop, arm around his back.

 

And if Louis' judgement was accurate, Harry was loving it. Was loving being adored, being the centre of Louis' undivided attention. Louis wondered how Harry might cope when he wasn't, but didn't let the thought sit for too long.

 

Harry's dimples were deep grooves and his eyes were so bright as they ended the night falling breathlessly into a pre-hired car. No threat of abduction as they made their way to the hotel.

 

"What a night," Harry sank into the back of the seat.

 

"You were amazing," Louis complimented.

 

"And you-what you told those tech guys about the new security threats doing the rounds...that will make out website and shop so much stronger..."

 

Louis shrugged.

 

"A small drop in the ocean I'm sure..."

 

"Louis you donated ten grand tonight, that's huge," Harry pointed out.

 

Louis flicked him a look.

 

"You think I was going to let anybody else get a chance?" He teased.

 

Harry blinked.

 

"I don't know...maybe..."

 

Louis curled his hand around Harry's thigh, shifting across the seat to reach.

 

"I wasn't letting anyone else take you home," he assured.

 

"It's dinner," Harry argued softly, not in the least bothered by Louis' owning of him.

 

"Then I wasn't letting anyone else take you to dinner either," Louis added with a smirk.

 

"Are you one of those jealous types?" Harry wondered then. "All possessive and controlling?"

 

And-

 

Well Louis thought he might well be one of those types but he wasn't really sure because he hadn't actually felt all that possessive before he'd met Harry.

 

He decided to err on the side of caution and admit his weaknesses.

 

"I think I might be," he sighed.

 

Harry grinned, lifting his hand to kiss the palm of it.

 

"I think I might be too," he shared.

 

Louis rolled his eyes.

 

"Oh, please. Like you have any competition," he mused of his attractiveness to other men- or women for that matter.

 

"I'll have you know that Stevie was eyeing you up all night," Harry huffed lightly. "I'm surprised you didn't notice..."

 

"Nope," Louis shook his head widely, amused.

 

"He was," Harry insisted. "I caught him checking out your butt and it wasn't much fun..."

 

"Hm?" Louis' arched his brows with interest.

 

"My butt? I guess it's the only part of me that-wait, no there's scars there, too," he said derisively.

 

Harry nuzzled up into Louis' neck with a hot breath panting out onto the skin there.

 

"Shut up or I'll want to kiss it," he whispered.

 

Louis felt a hot liquid slither down his body, landing between his thighs and stirring up something in his belly.

 

"Believe me, you won't," Louis mused.

 

Harry nosed into his hair.

 

"Can we argue about this when you're naked on the bed?"

 

Louis sucked in a breath but it was too late, his body had grown instantly hard. He groaned out at the sensation of being turned on so fast.

 

Harry pulled back, pressed the heel of his hand into his own groin and sighed out, flipping his hair.

 

"How far is this fucking hotel anyway?"

 

Louis went about re-tying the red bad around Harry's wrist for the last few minutes of the journey and soon Louis was leading him up through the passages and towards his room.

 

There were times when making out was all about falling on the bed and undressing awkwardly but Louis was of a different breed.

 

He carefully undressed Harry before tumbling them down in just their boxers, bodies writhing and turning top to bottom as they rolled together.

 

They finally settled with Louis on top.

 

"Hah," he grasped Harry's wrists gently and mock-pressed them by his ears. His shoulder didn't allow for much more. "Gotcha," he added to his statement of mirth.

 

Harry licked his lips, eyes dark and big, dilated.

 

"You've had me a while," he admitted and Louis found his expression of emotion breath-takingly honest. If he should feel fear, it was absent.

 

"Can I say ditto?" Louis asked and Harry opened his mouth in silent shock.

 

Louis was stealing his phrase, the one he used when Louis said about dating someone else if he had a problem with Louis rescuing him. But more than the borrowed terminology, Louis was admitting his feelings right back at Harry in the same honest and fearless way. And that was-

 

Harry frowned, not sure if he should admit his next confession.

 

"Liam thought you might be scared of falling," Harry posed.

 

Louis smirked.

 

"Liam wasn't in a car with you for eight days." Louis quipped.

 

"Why did he think that?" Harry pushed.

 

Louis sighed, elbows digging into the mattress as his legs slid down in between Harry's thighs.

 

"Because my past hasn't always been great," he admitted.

 

Harry nodded.

 

"You never seemed afraid of us," he observed.

 

Louis shook his head, thumbing Harry's chin.

 

"Nope..." he admitted, fingertips tracing the soft swell of Harry's lips.

 

"I am," Harry sucked in a breath.

 

Louis trained back his fringe, tucked curls behind his ear and let his fingers play with them.

 

"Don't be," Louis murmured, leaning down to kiss him and-

 

It was maybe the best kiss yet, deep and slow and so meaningful that Harry felt tears edge his eyes.

 

"Are you crying?" Louis pulled back with a frown, his thumb having found that evidence.

 

Harry blushed.

 

"No, I'm not it's just my allergies..."

 

Louis smiled.

 

"You think I might leave?" He wondered then, not angry.

 

Harry shrugged.

 

"Hm," Louis considered the options, wondered how he could prove his affections to Harry.

 

He was willing to wait as long as it took to finally make love with him but to even move from this kiss to something more, Louis got the feeling Harry needed a deposit. Louis' fingers automatically went to the chain at his neck- a medium thickness chain in silver. It was something that meant a lot to him, that Liam had bought before Louis' first job that matched his own and Liam had told him then about his intention for them to be blood brothers.

 

Louis almost felt that to be true of the other man but he unclasped the necklace and draped it around Harry's neck, sliding the clasp around to the front to do it up.

 

"I'll get you a ring," Louis promised. "But this is my most prized possession and the only thing I would miss if it got lost," he shared. "So by giving it to you maybe you'll understand that this isn't just-"

 

Louis paused, sucking in air. He kissed Harry's lips.

 

"Can I kiss you?" He asked.

 

Harry nodded, all for more kissing really, happy for all the kissing in the world to occur because it might just stop his sentimental heart getting too carried away. Louis was being completely unfair and Harry had no defence to his charms. He was weak and under attack and he wanted to surrender before the battle even began.

 

He realised a little too late that Louis wasn't kissing his mouth. His lips were trailing his torso and heading southwards where his fingers tugged at the band of his pants. Harry gasped as Louis slipped them down and off his long legs, lips raining back over his skin in warm presses.

 

"Louis-I didn't know...I didn't think you meant-"

 

Harry's protests were cut off by his own loud, achingly needy groan. Louis had just kissed his hip, his thigh tattoo and then right against the tip of his cock. It was entirely ridiculous that he did that, that his lips were still kissing, his little hand pulling Harry's heavy heat away from his body to swallow him; making him arch his hips off the bed.

 

Louis choked a little.

 

"Whoa, steady bigboy," he teased, husked and warm.

 

"S-sorry," Harry stuttered out, groaning as Louis licked at him like a popsicle.

 

"Turn over for me," Louis asked softly and while Harry wondered at his instruction, Louis kissed up his torso, licking against his four nipples and his ribs.

 

Harry turned quickly and rutted into the bed with another muffled moan of appreciation.

 

"Just this, okay?" Louis breathed against the skin of Harry's back and his whole body puckered in anticipation.

 

Was Louis really going to...?

 

Kiss him. There?

 

Harry parted his thighs as Louis lips nipped at them, his mouth soon moving over his ass-cheeks, placing deliberate kisses there with the press of his soft lips.

 

His hand slid onto Harry's cheeks, his thumbs against his ass-crack, ready to pull him apart. His dug his elbows into the bed and licked a tempting stripe up Harry's crack.

 

Harry writhed and thrust into the bed, eyes watering from needing to let go now rather than the emotions that got to him earlier.

 

"Relax hm?" Louis hummed against his skin and Harry felt his whole body go hot and plaint with the command.

 

He pushed his knees apart, welcoming Louis to spread him and when Louis did so he wasted no time in flicking his tongue against his rim.

 

"Oh god," Harry choked. "Fuck, Louis...fuck!" he hissed.

 

Louis lifted his head, surprised at the pleasure Harry was getting from his probably rusty mouth-skill.

 

"Is this okay? Is tit too much?"

 

"Please," Harry begged on a pant. "I'm so close, Lou...you don't need to do much more, I promise..."

 

Louis smirked, deliberately drawing out the pleasure build up with little licks, kisses and the odd finger thrown into the mix.

 

Harry got onto his knees at one point, tucked them under his body to allow Louis more access and he had chuckled and gladly accepted the invitation, slowly palming Harry erection as he licked inside him, stronger and deeper at each broach of that tight muscle.

 

Harry had no chance of even trying to keep his semblance under such an attack and he came hard and heavy to the point of painful as Louis' tongue was deep in his ass licking him out.

 

 _Oh god, fuck yes_.

 

He shuddered as Louis stroked him through it, kissing each cheek as he eased away.

 

And then there was a warm, wet trickle against his ass-cheek as Louis fisted himself off to his own climax; Harry's ass-muscles making his cheek flex at receiving his come.

 

Harry collapsed on the bed, front first, panting, heaving in air. He felt the slightly obtrusive invasion of two fingertips pressing at his rim; wet warm spunk on them, pushing inside. He couldn't help his filthy groan at Louis' rather owning gesture.

 

Louis pressed into his back, collapsing on top of him.

 

"Think I want to do this with anyone else?" Louis asked, breathy and sated.

 

Harry shook his head, his hair wild over his face. He felt Louis scraping it back with gentle fingers, pressing kisses to his shoulders. He'd never felt more loved. Even when he'd been in love. It was an amazing feeling, a perfect moment.

 

Harry wanted to pause and rewind it forever.

 

He felt Louis fingering the chain around his neck, kissing over it.

 

"No, it's always been you, Harry..." he mused, seemingly thinking aloud.

 

Harry hummed, too spent to move even.

 

"Can I do this again tomorrow?" Louis enquired as Harry's eyes blinked sleepily shut.

 

His groan was deep and telling.

 

Louis smirked. He knew what Harry's weakness was now and he planned to use it to his full advantage.

 


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

 

When Louis woke he was facing Harry and Harry was already awake, blinking sleepily at him as Louis caught up. He didn't waste time pressing his lips to Harry's, instigating an at first sleepy kiss that progressed quickly into something more.

 

Louis might never understand the effect of Harry's kisses on him, he could hire a scientist to study the strange phenomenon and still be no clearer after years of research. Harry made him want so much. In the pit of his belly where fire burned, in his stomach where his insides curled about happily, in his chest where he ached and in his arms which slipped around Harry's waist to pull him closer and he titled his head to get the full effect, to allow his tongue the freedom of diving into Harry's mouth.

 

He tasted sweeter today if that was possible, smelled better, looked incredible. His eyes were greener, his skin paler and more beautiful because of it. If Louis didn't know better, he'd say he was falling in love. His poetic thoughts certainly weren't ones he was accustomed to having. It had been so long in that respect. Before Harry he'd never had this. Never had holding and rutting and groaning in the back of his throat from the slightest friction.

 

And the fact Harry had clothes on was minorly bothersome because Louis had to tug off his t-shirt and scoop his hands under his briefs band to squeeze his ass.

Harry's breath caught at Louis' gesture and the kiss was interrupted as Harry pulled away.

 

Louis flexed his fingertips against the skin under his hands.

 

"Louis," Harry breathed, the tiniest dig forming above his brow which Louis kissed away.

 

"Yes, Harold," Louis smiled slowly, reaching for a grin.

 

Harry frowned, searching for the right words.

 

"I want you," he managed, his voice lodged in his throat.

 

Louis swallowed. He pressed his hips gently forward, felt Harry's responding hardness.

 

"Same," Louis murmured, soft and reverent.

 

Harry paused then, seemingly becoming insecure at his decision to stay celibate. Louis only smiled, tangled fingers into his long hair and kissed him again.

 

"I could kiss you all day," he promised steadily.

 

Harry huffed, spreading his hands across Louis' torso to appreciate his warm, marked skin. He read his scars like Braille, eyes lifting briefly before he gently pushed Louis onto his back and knelt either side of his knees, lips pressing into his scars once more.

 

Louis could still remember the first time Harry had done this, found his cries throatier and his body weaker from the attack now they didn't have danger looming upon them. It was a slow, through mapping of his body and when Harry's lips found the knife wound on his thigh, the tiniest little jagged ridge right on the inside from a glass wound, Louis felt himself drift off to another world.

 

It was literally unbelievable that Harry found his ugliest parts so damn kissable. He almost wretched from the thought of it but he daren't stop Harry in his determined mission. When his boxers were peeled down he opened his eyes, cupping Harry's face.

 

"Are you sure?" Louis asked and Harry only nodded.

 

It was difficult for Louis to remember much after that point. Everything that had happened the last few weeks, in particular the last few days came balling into one messy memory flashing behind his eyes. Harry being taken, Louis never wanting to let him go, his reticence to share his feelings on the plane, the way they shared a bed after Louis got rescued...

 

It made Louis so grateful to be here with this man, being devoured by his beautiful mouth. He sucked in a sharp breath, suddenly realising. No, Harry couldn't have all the fun here, Louis had plenty of desire to express. As he went to sit up, Harry pushed a firm hand at his chest.

 

"Let me do this," he grumbled lowly in protest.

 

Louis fucked up into his mouth, a cry escaping his lips. He wanted more than anything o be kissing Harry again, down there. Where it was dark and bitter-sweet and made Harry come undone the way Louis feared he was about to. He didn't often relinquish control, didn't often feel comfortable to. He trusted very few and opened up to even fewer.

 

Harry had it all in that respect, his trust and his heart, wide open in his chest beating hard and fast for him. Louis could only drag air into his lungs to try and push words out, to try and express to Harry just how special he was.

 

"Only you!" He gasped out, hands fisting in the covers as Harry went deep, nose pressing into his skin and Louis pressed up, choking him with his tip. "Harry, it's only-"

 

Louis was cut off with a stuttered exhalation of breath; his body peaking and forcing out his seed in hot shots, right onto Harry's tongue. Harry gave a few more bobs of his head to be sure and Louis died weakly in his arms as he crawled up the bed to hold him.

 

"How dare you," he whispered, clutching Harry close by wrapping his arms around his shoulders.

 

Harry kissed by his ear.

 

"Am I meant to be sorry?" Harry wondered and his voice was a low growl.

 

Louis laughed, but it was a feeble push of air from his lungs.

 

"You should be when you bring a man to his knees," Louis countered huskily.

 

"Funny, thought I was on my knees," Harry smirked.

 

Louis kissed at the side of his face.

 

"I might buy this hotel so we never have to move..." he considered.

 

Harry rolled his eyes.

 

"Really, you could afford that?" He mused.

 

It was Louis' turn to smirk.

 

"I could buy you the world, Princess," he promised confidently.

 

Harry thought it sounded like something out of Aladdin and shook his head in confusion, rolling to the side to ease his weight from Louis' body.

 

"Maybe you could just buy an apartment in Bakersfield?" he suggested amusedly.

 

Louis flicked his eyes up, almost as if he hadn't thought about that idea. Harry was momentarily distracted by his eyelashes.

 

"That's not a bad idea," he hummed.

 

"You could make this your home," Harry added hopefully.

 

Louis nodded slowly, not averse to the idea. Since he didn't think of anywhere at home, Harry's home town was no worse than anywhere else.

 

"I could," he agreed lightly.

 

"And when you come back between jobs we can-well," Harry paused, swallowing.

 

"Make out?" Louis grinned, arching a brow as he rolled across to pull Harry close to him again.

 

Harry blushed a bit.

 

"Yeah," he breathed shyly.

 

"Hey," Louis kissed his forehead as he ducked into his chest. "I want you waiting for me, alright?"

 

Harry hugged Louis as tightly as Louis hugged him.

 

"How long?" Harry said and Louis cleared his throat.

 

"Hm?"

 

"How long do I have you for?" He asked honestly.

 

Louis rolled his shoulder in test.

 

"A while," he assured.

 

Harry grasped him a little closer, sighing out.

 

"It's going to be weird worrying about you when you're not here..."

 

Louis swallowed, reminded of his thoughts from before that Harry didn't deserve a life of worrying.

 

"You don't have to...I mean, we don't have to do this if-"

 

Harry's lips pressed against his, firm and sure.

 

"We do," he said slow and sweet.

 

Louis really wanted to kiss him again, between his legs. He wondered if breaking their intimate embrace to lick Harry out would be bad manners. He decided to err on the side of caution and stayed comfortably wrapped in Harry's arms.

 

"Well then can I take you out?" Louis posed. "Show you off a bit, be a proper boyfriend?"

 

Harry's lips parted in surprise and Louis didn't get why until his words repeated back in his head and he realised one particular word had popped out unintentionally.

 

"Oh...err..." Louis cleared his throat, looking away quickly with a flick of his lashes to his warm cheeks.

 

Harry's hands came up to cup his face, thumbs pressing into the skin beside Louis' mouth where his own small dimple appeared in his chin when he grinned big. Right now Harry was tilting his head for a claiming kiss. Louis pressed into his lovely warm body as he kissed back.

 

"If you don't take me out I might end up breaking my celibacy promise," Harry husked as he pulled away.

 

Louis grinned, that tiny dimple appearing as he flipped back the duvet and rolled onto his back and out of Harry's arms.

 

"Breakfast it is then, beautiful," he stated.

 

Harry watched him head for the bathroom with a bemused smirk.

 

"Since when did you decide to call me that!" Harry called as Louis shut the bathroom door behind him.

 

Harry didn't get an answer.

 

//

 

Louis made sure to hold Harry's hand very firmly in his, fingers not twined but the old-fashioned way which only seemed to make Harry more delighted if that were possible. As if walking around with Louis was any kind of great shakes, Louis couldn't quite understand it but Harry looked positively alive at being by his side.

 

Harry loped while Louis bounced, masculine in his strut while Harry was more fluid beside him.

 

"Hey, bacon," Louis licked his lips as he veered right, tugging Harry into the cafe they approached and the taller man couldn't help his fond smile as he stumbled in behind him.

 

"What you having, beautiful?" Louis posed as he rubbed his hands together, surveying the menu written on chalk boards above the counter.

 

"I think I preferred Princess," Harry remarked dryly.

 

Louis lifted his chin, lips twitching in amusement.

 

"Can you decide today, I'm ready to eat my arm," Louis mused.

 

Harry let Louis approach the counter with his order while he hung back to decide, slipping his hands into his jean pockets at their separation.

 

"Hm, are you a special?" A warm voice sounded in Harry's ear and he twirled, faced with a tall mad with dark brown hair similar to his own hue but short and quiffed.

 

"Erm, no, I'm afraid not..." Harry answered awkwardly.

 

"Really?" The guy tilted his head.

 

Harry flicked a look to where Louis was stood at the till and he might've mistaken the way Louis' lips were pressed tight together or the way his hands were white-knuckle gripping the wooden desk in front of him but Harry couldn't have missed the tension in the other man's body or the way his blue-grey eyes lofted quickly away on Harry's gaze landing there.

 

"Really," Harry said. "My boyfriend is buying me breakfast," he gestured toward Louis and the stranger nodded, turning back to Harry with a confused smile.

 

"Him?"

 

Harry nodded, standing straighter. If this guy even thought about saying something bad about Louis, he would flatten him, no matter how bad he was at hitting.

 

"Excuse me," Harry added, curling his shoulder in to brush past the guy.

 

He felt his wrist being encircled with fingers and he pulled it toward his chest instinctively defensive as a frown marred his features.

 

"Can I help you?" Louis' pertinent voice sounded from beside Harry, his brows arched high on his forehead.

 

Harry slipped a hand into Louis' lower back right where it curved above his backside.

 

"Hey, Lou," he hummed lowly.

 

The stranger regarded Louis with a sheepish smile.

 

"My mistake, your boy seemed ripe for the taking," the guy quipped and Louis stiffened slightly at that, titled his head as of contemplating which method of battle to choose.

 

"Yeah, that was a mistake," Louis affirmed, a little sharply.

 

"Treat him well," the guy told Louis as if Louis didn't already know this, as if he was so unaware the best-looking guy was holding his hand and dating him and-

 

And was saving himself for him.

 

Louis' anger washed away at that thought but eh couldn't help the little spike of jealousy that had overcome him on seeing Harry being chatted up.

 

"I will," he nodded, turning back to the counter where Harry was now ordering his preferred choice.

 

Louis slipped an arm around his waist.

 

"What did you get in the end?"

 

"French toast, coffee and a fruit bowl," Harry shared. "You?"

 

Louis' lips pulled to one side as he paid, his lip tugged at by his teeth.

 

"I don't know how the fuck we get on," he muttered, taking the tray with their drinks on while they waited for their food.

 

Louis set it down and quickly set up their places, about to sit opposite Harry but Harry snagged a chair and slid it next to him.

 

"don't sit all the way over there," Harry hummed and Louis sat next to him, leaning into his shoulder so Harry could sling an arm around his own shoulders in a relaxed manner.

 

When their breakfast were delivered, Louis; comment made complete sense to Harry. He'd ordered a full cooked English and bread and butter to make a bacon buttie. He also ordered tea; a fact Harry was only too aware of since their missed tea date when Louis was kidnapped.

 

And Harry supposed it was kind of strange how different they were, the mixes in their tastes but somehow it didn't matter when their lips were touching or when they were laid in bed wrapped up together warm and tight.

 

"can I try some tea?" Harry asked as Louis poured a cup from the little tea-pot he'd been given. He stirred in some milk and a bit of sugar.

 

"Go on then," Louis passed it to him and Harry took a cautious sip.

 

"Mm," he hummed appreciatively. "It's good..."

 

Louis winked at him. "I'll bring you a cup in bed every morning," he teased and Harry gave him a funny look but started in on his toast.

 

"It's not a bad idea you know..." Harry said a few minutes later.

 

"What isn't?" Louis checked, shovelling down his food as if it was about to be snatched away while Harry consumed his toast more delicately with a thoughtfulness about his chew.

 

"Well-" Harry paused and a blush spread over his cheeks at what he was about to say.

 

 _Waking up together every day_.

 

What a ridiculous thing to even contemplate expressing aloud. Of course Louis wouldn't want to rush their relationship to sharing a bed permanently but...well, Harry thought the idea of sharing a place held weight. It was probably far too soon to be even mentioning it but Louis had no home and he was two hours away.

 

Harry felt aggrieved already at being two minutes away; wanting to be near enough to go running if Louis ever needed him. And he hoped Louis did need him because otherwise this arrangement was all kinds of fucked.

 

"What's your idea?" Louis'; scratchy slightly high voice cut into Harry's thoughts and he watched Louis' small hand cup over his own larger one.

 

"Nothing," Harry forced a smile, popping a whole strawberry into his mouth.

 

Louis watched him chew, eyes glued to his lips and Harry almost choked on the juice as trickled down his throat but Louis' mouth was pushing against his for a kiss before he could swallow and the sweet syrup was licked off his tongue in the ensuing battle.

 

"Jesus," Louis sighed as he pulled away and hopped into the other seat opposite Harry, pulling subtly at the front of his trackies, his heel pressing against his erection.

 

How Harry managed to make him hard in three seconds flat was still a mystery but Louis found his appetite completely waned.

 

"I have to book out of the room soon," he sighed wistfully.

 

Harry's brows lifted as though he had forgotten Louis had to actually leave.

 

"Hey, are you free Friday?" He asked. "They want to do our dinner date from the auction and they asked if they could take a few pictures.." he explained of the media group sponsoring his charity event.

 

Louis watched as Harry flicked through the notifications on his phone as he spoke distractedly.

 

"I'm all yours, Princess," he promised.

 

"You sure that's okay?" Harry checked under furrowed brows.

 

Louis turned his head to the side. "They can get my good side...no marks on this cheek," he stroked a hand down his bristled skin to evidence that.

 

Harry smiled.

 

"You're amazing all over so don't even start with that..."

 

Louis gave him a patient look.

 

"So what was idea then?" Louis promoted. "Earlier?"

 

Harry inwardly groaned hoping he had forgotten about that or at least dropped the topic. Seemed Louis was zeroing in on his awkwardness.

 

"Mm, I'm just going to order some tea," he said through a mouthful of fruit, standing quickly to walk steadily to the till.

 

He sighed out, shoulders hunching.

 

"Hello again..." a voice curled into his ear and Harry looked up confusedly as his tea was prepared.

 

"You again," Harry mused of the familiar tall, well-groomed man.

 

"sure I can't tempt you away?" He offered and Harry shook his head.

 

"No, I'm taken," he assured softly, his head still filled with insecurity.

 

The guy slipped him a card.

 

"That's my number...if you ever change your mind..." he added and Harry's eyes slipped over the name.

 

Nick Grimshaw. He sounded British, a bit like Louis but a different lilt.

 

Harry had taken the card between two fingers and pushed it back towards Nick.

 

"I wont be needing it," he stated, flicking a look over to the table where Louis looked quickly away, pretending not to be watching.

 

Nick reluctantly took the card back.

 

"Alright well... nice to meet you," he offered as a parting.

 

"Sure," Harry nodded and carried his pot and cup back to the table where he pushed them toward Louis.

 

"Will you make it for me?" He asked.

 

Louis-whose eyes were wide and the clearest blue-grey-cleared his throat after a pause.

 

"Well what you do, Harold, is put in the milk and sugar," he narrated, doing just that. "Swish your tea bag a bit and then pour-slowly, mind, no use rushing it," he smirked.

 

Harry looked at him.

 

I love you.

 

The words popped there, into his mind unbidden. He tried to push them away.

 

"Persistent your admirer, huh?" Louis said then and Harry blushed.

 

"He's obviously a giant ass and I don't want to talk about him," he posed.

 

Louis fidgeted in his seat.

 

"You gave him his card back," Louis noted.

 

Harry met his gaze. "Of course I did," he began, a little offended that Louis expected anything different.

 

"That's pretty courageous," Louis offered.

 

Harry shrugged. "told him I didn't need it and I meant it..."

 

"Nice looking fella though..."Louis led, lifting his replenished tea-cup to his lips. Harry noted he'd snuck the remainder in his pot. He would have let Louis sneak all his tea if it reassured him Harry wanted to be here more than anywhere else in the world.

 

"Not as nice as you," he stated, putting down his tea cup a little hard as if his words challenged a response from Louis that would argue his opinion.

 

"I might not do un-possessive boyfriend very well," Louis offered then with a wince.

 

"As long as you _are_ my boyfriend I'm not sure I mind to be honest," Harry quipped.

 

Louis regarded him quietly, taken back to this morning when he'd first used that term. He'd managed to avoid it then but not so much now.

 

"I gave you my necklace," he said only, as if this gesture told all of his secrets.

 

Harry's hand lifted and his gentle fingers played with he chain at his neck.

 

"Then great because that's what I'm telling everyone you are anyway," Harry offered.

 

Louis nodded.

 

"You idea," he said again and Harry literally dropped his face into both palms, moaning out in protest.

 

He was sure he'd got Louis off that topic for the rest of the day.

 

"Come on, Princess, don't be shy," he encouraged.

 

Harry sighed out, heels of his hands pressing into his eyes as he spoke quickly- so quickly he almost hoped Louis wouldn't hear.

 

"I just was thinking how you don't have a home really and that its two hours each way if we want to meet and we won't get to see each other much when you're back at work and well it just sort of crossed my mind that you moving closer would not only give you a place to call home but would give us the chance to get to know each other properly and I don't want to have to drive two hours to see you especially if you need me- or maybe if I need you although I'll try not to since you fly to Peru and crazy places and can't exactly drop everything to come running back and-"

 

"Harry?" Louis questioned, truly bemused by this babbling nervous ball of hair in the seat opposite him.

 

"I just thought maybe- like honestly maybe- it was just a thought a really fast one that had no place being there but I pushed it out anyway and tried to say that it was nothing but now you're begging me to say it and it's so awkward because I already know its insane, its stupid really and I shouldn't have even got this far, I should have-"

 

"Babe, can you get to the point?" Louis intervened, shifting next to him to squeeze his thigh in comfort.

 

Harry sighed, big and shaky and Louis was actually worried for a minute. He had no idea what the trail of Harry's previous words were leading to but he slipped an arm around his waist anyway to cuddle him close.

 

"I just thought maybe we could be flatmates," he stated then, keeping his suggestion light. He daren't tell Louis he imagined Louis waking him up in bed with tea every morning. That was stalker-speak and would send the older man running to the hills screaming.

 

Louis blinked two, three times, gently tugging Harry's wrists away from his face. Harry peeked at him, hot cheeked and boyish. Louis felt his breath leave his lungs and he pulled Harry into a hug.

 

"I don't like that you felt scared to say that to me," Louis mused after a moment's pause.

 

Harry licked his lips, flipping his hair back.

 

"Yeah well, you've only known me five minutes it's probably a bit much?" he half-asked, half stated.

 

Louis bit at his lip.

 

"Maybe," he shrugged. "But I get that I need to be closer to you," he offered.

 

Harry frowned.

 

"Or me to you," he offered.

 

Louis shook his head.

 

"Your charity is registered here," he accepted. "But look, I need to have a chat with Liam before I make any grand decisions about my future..."

 

Harry nodded with a swallow.

 

"So you're going home after booking out?" He ventured.

 

Louis smiled.

 

"I'll see you Friday though..."

 

Harry smiled back, eyes sparking to life a little.

 

"I can't wait..."

 

"Me either," Louis assured.

 

//

 

 

Harry never was a guy to wear a traditional suit.

 

They just didn't go with his long hair. And in the four days since he'd last seen Louis, he had been busy at the milliners trying to have something fitted to suit his eccentric style without being too 'out there' and he felt the simple, well-cut black suit they'd come up with was just right. He wore an unbuttoned white shirt with blue flecks on and his hair long and clean flipped to one side. His boots were black, buckled and shiny.

 

He would probably do quite nicely for a dinner date, he thought.

 

As he headed to the venue in the back of a hired car he couldn't help but feel nervous. The last time he and Louis had tried to meet, Louis hadn't come and as mortified as Harry had been, the real reason for Louis' no-show had been a harder blow. He didn't want to think about Louis being late tonight.

 

Luckily he had no such worries since Louis was already outside the venue, chatting casually with the press girl while he sneaked a cigarette. Harry didn't remember him smoking since some of their first car journeys together and he wondered if he'd stopped for him.

 

He was breathless on his approach. Louis' hair was messily styles his beard getting long, in his petrol blue suit with his cool blue-grey gaze, he could certainly pass for commanding but Harry knew better than that.

 

His point was proved when Louis' blinked long, almost effeminate lashes to his cheeks and blew out his last lungful of smoke, his hands giving away a tee-tale tremor that Harry caught.

 

"Lou," he breathed when his lungs finally started up again and he hugged him, big and bear-like.

 

Louis giggled and pretended to struggle in catching that embrace when really he hopped foot to foot in excited receipt of the big man in his arms.

 

"Missed you, Haz," he murmured into Harry's ear where the press girl- Georgia-wouldn't hear.

 

She snapped a couple of pictures until Harry pulled away.

 

"Hi," he greeted her finally. "I'm Harry..."

 

She curtseyed- something that made Louis smirk.

 

"Georgia for the Eloquent Times," she introduced. "I'll be taking a few shots inside the restaurant and asking a few questions over dinner and then I'll leave you to it..." she led with an arched brow and a knowing smile.

 

"You may as well know we're together," Louis stated then, no nonsense. "I'm not going to hide that fact..."

 

She smiled at him.

 

"Neither will we," she assured him and he nodded, a tight breath leaving his lungs which Harry observed with a frown but they were prompted to go inside and they were soon seated at their table.

 

Georgia worked on her list of questions as they waited for starters. Harry insisted she join them for the first two courses and she had reluctantly agreed on his third persuasion.

 

"Harry, your charity goes from strength to strength and offers a vast range of support to the LGBT community," she began. "How do you plan to sustain your position?"

 

Harry almost choked on his pate, not expecting such an in-depth question. He thought this might go something like a teen magazine, asking him about his date and his love-life previous to tonight.

 

He sat back and regarded her with an impressed brow-raise.

 

"It's not easy to have a charity maintain a money-making status," he admitted. "We rely heavily on our celebrity supporters for a lot of that revenue and we're always putting feelers out for new sponsors," he admitted. "I guess for me the focus is always the people that need help. That's got to be at the centre of our cause and that's what drives us to keep going..."

 

"Louis, what do you do for a living?" Georgia turned to her other side and it was Louis' turn to look-and sound-utterly bemused at being asked.

 

"I...uh...I work with precious art and jewellery," he offered. "Transportation thereof," he admitted. And briefly it came to him that his picture was being taken tonight and this interview would be published, meaning a larger slice of the underworld would know who he was.

 

Harry seemed to have the same concluding thought as his eyes widened dramatically as he hissed 'Lou!' across the table urgently.

 

Louis swallowed looking down. Actually, this might just be perfect. He hadn't even considered it before tonight-0before right now in fact-but if the world knew who he was then he couldn't keep working undercover, he'd have no choice but to give up the travelling and the danger. And it didn't tug at him the way he expected it to.

 

He reached across the table to cup Harry's hand, his thumb rubbing across his knuckles soothingly.

 

"It's alright, Princess," he assured softly. "I know what I'm doing..."

 

Harry's lips fell open and Louis let his gaze rest there a moment, appreciating their shape and softness.

 

Georgia carried on regardless of the private exchange before her.

 

"You must have a very lucrative business to raise the ten grand required to guy Harry's time tonight," she observed.

 

"You're right," he agreed simply. "I do. I'm very good at it and I'm lucky enough to have savings in the bank..."

 

"Harry, can you see you and Louis joining forces?" She posed.

 

Harry smirked.

 

"If Louis would be interested in supporting Straight Up in a professional capacity, we'd be only too happy to accommodate his business needs," He quipped, straight out of 'Perfect media replies', Louis was sure.

 

"What about on a personal level?" She enquired then, picking up on the information Louis gave her at the start.

 

Harry hedged his words since they would be seen in print.

 

"It just so happens that Louis and I were already acquainted when he placed his bid at the auction," Harry answered, his gaze never leaving Louis and their hands now joined across the table as Louis gave him silent encouragement.

 

"So this date is merely formality?" She teased.

 

Harry grinned across at Louis, sneaking his hand back into his lap shyly as a blush warmed his cheeks.

 

"It's much more," he said only.

 

Georgia seemed surprised by his open-ended but evidently claiming response.

 

"Erm..." she checked her notes. "Louis, you're effectively dating one of Bakersfield's sweethearts, how does that feel?"

 

Louis flicked her an amused look, his toes pointing toward Harry's feet where he gently rubbed his ankle. Harry gave him the tiniest smile in acknowledgement.

 

"It feels great," he replied. "Like I've won the lottery even though I paid for tonight..."

 

"And Harry, you're famous for stating in several interviews previously that you practice celibacy..." she led.

 

Harry lifted up his wrist to show the thin red band there with the charm attached.

 

"That's right, I do," he confirmed.

 

She cleared her throat and they both broke their avid eye-contact to look at her.

 

"How does uh...Louis feel about that?"

 

Harry blinked, glancing back at his boyfriend.

 

"Maybe you should ask him," he offered quietly and it wasn't because he minded the question, it's because he wanted Louis to have a chance to talk honestly about how it felt to date a guy who didn't put out.

 

"Louis?" Georgia turned her attention back to him.

 

"Listen," Louis rocked back in his seat, arms behind his head in an almost-belligerent pose. "When I met Harry all that mattered to me was how he made me feel. Nothing else. That still stands."

 

"You...er...you don't mind that he's...um..."

 

Louis gazed at Harry long and steady.

 

"I think he's amazing," he said simply.

 

Harry smiled, slow and sure like the sun coming out. Louis basked in it.

 

"Harry, your celibacy isn't for Religious reasons. Do you ever feel the urge to throw your wrist-band away and give in?" She wondered.

 

Louis cleared his throat, pointing to Georgia's notebook.

 

"Can you take that question out, please," he asked.

 

She darted him a look, petrified she had gone too far.

 

"O-of course, I'm sorry," she quickly apologised, getting flustered.

 

Harry glanced at him before speaking.

 

"It's okay, I really don't mind," he assured and Louis blinked passively at him.

 

Georgia swallowed.

 

"If you're sure," she murmured while Harry thought about his answer.

 

Their mains were delivered while he gathered his thoughts.

 

"I do feel the 'urge' as you put it," he began. "Sometimes it can be quite difficult when you meet someone you're attracted to and who makes you feel good about yourself. But the point in my celibacy promise is to myself for my own self-esteem. If I gave in to every guy that I felt like having sex with then it defeats the object of saving myself doesn't it? The point kinda was that it would only be someone special, someone who earned it..."

 

She nodded, making notes even though she had a Dictaphone they'd agreed to her recording from.

 

"And Louis has?" She questioned, earning a narrowing of eyes from the older male at the table.

 

"I'm nowhere near," he admitted self-depreciatively. "But I'm trying."

 

Harry gave him a silly-billy smile.

 

"He's been incredible about it all," Harry offered. "That should give anyone else out there like me a little bit of hope..."

 

Louis found Harry's words a balm to the invasive questions from the reporter. She took pictures of them while they relaxed into soft-talk during their meal.

 

"So, last question," she smiled brightly as their plates were ferried away.

 

Both men turned, brows raised.

 

"What happens next?"

 

"Next tonight?" Harry enquired.

 

"Walk by the river, bit of moonlight wooing," Louis intervened.

 

"Or next in life?" Harry finished his own question.

 

"Ohh, swerve," Louis mutered with a smirk.

 

Georgia smiled at them both.

 

"but you plan to date some more?" She asked.

 

Harry ventured a look at Louis.

 

"I think what we have goes beyond dating," Louis offered plainly.

 

Harrys eyes flared a little at his honesty.

 

"We'll see each other," he said a little more loosely.

 

Louis trained a finger across his collarbones, signalling the chain around Harry's neck that maybe until now, Harry hadn't truly understood the importance of. Louis had told him on several occasions that giving him his necklace was the equivalent to giving him a serious commitment and Harry hadn't maybe believed him.

 

Georgia took photos of them by the greenery in the restaurant, made sure she had a shot of them looking dapper, arms around each others backs as they faced forward. A shot of them making faces, more like the young men they were an done of them caught off-guard, gazing lovingly into each other's faces with soft, smiling eyes and matching mouths.

 

She had sighed at catching that moment, sure this was her centrepiece picture.

 

"Thank you so much for letting me come along tonight," she offered.

 

Harry turned to her first, seeing her out to her car while Louis waved her a short goodbye.

 

"Thanks for taking the time to come here, I'm sure it was awkward," Harry teased as they reached her car.

 

"No, it wasn't actually. It's lovely to see two people genuinely in love," she observed and Harry felt a blush hit his cheeks in guilty accusation.

 

"P-please don't say that," he quickly begged, hands grasping her wrists gently. "Please don't put that in the article..."

 

She gave him a bemused smile.

 

"I don't think I'll need to, its so obvious in the way you look at each other," she mused and Harry swallowed hard, his face paling.

 

Everyone would know. Everyone would know his feelings for Louis and it was all because he couldn't keep the fond off his damn face. Even this girl knew and she'd only met him tonight. God, he really needed to get a grip...

 

And then something filtered into his mind as he waved her off. She'd said that she'd seen _two_ people genuinely in love...not one. She hadn't said Harry had been the one looking in love while Louis was indifferent, no...she had said she saw them mirroring those feelings.

 

And Harry didn't like the excited skip his heart gave because it left him breathless but it was hope in the purest form. IF SOMEONE ELSE SAW IN Louis THE SAME EXPRESSION OF EMOTIONS THAT Harry HAD, IT HAD TO MEAN THE OLDER MAN FELT SOMETHING. even IF IT WASNT LOVE AND SHE HAD OVER-ESTIMATED THE MEOTION Louis felt, it was still something. Something to cling on to.

 

Harry's mind was in panic as he returned to the table no matter how many time he tried to tell himself that he wasn't alone in this. Something about hearing your worst fears spoken aloud suddenly made everything that much more frightening and Harry had suspected for some time that he was in love with Louis, that it had crept up on him, thrown a bag over his head and captured him willingly.

 

Only to hear someone else confirm it was like a gun going off. In his heart.

 

Louis couldn't know about this, he mustn't have any idea of how Harry truly felt or this whole thing was going to be ruined. And Harry had finally found something that filled him with happiness, something that comforted him and completed him and he didn't want to let it go. Not for the arguable pettiness over who felt what.

 

He could be in love with Louis for the rest of his life and Louis never feel it back as long as Harry could be with him, by his side in it all, he didn't mind. Really.

 

And that in itself was insane talk, the kind of doormat tendency he had been scolded for having before but he couldn't help it. He was weak. His resolve was weaker. But Louis trusted his boundaries and he was grateful for his respect in that moment, that Louis wouldn't push his limit, wouldn't ask for more until Harry told him he was ready. It was a partnership, it had to be for it to work.

 

Louis cast a worried glance over Harry's panicked state as he came back to the table, quivering and hand in hair.

 

"Haz, what happened?" He asked quickly, sitting up.

 

Harry swallowed on a tight throat.

 

"Is there a bill?" He asked back, blankly.

 

Louis frowned.

 

"I've taken care of it...shall we go for that walk?" He suggested.

 

Harry began shaking his head and Louis couldn't help the way his lips fell open in surprise.

 

"No, I have to go...I need to go home," he said, avoiding his eyes.

 

Louis arched a brow.

 

_What the fuck?_

 

"Well, can I come home with you, then?" He asked softly, hoping this truly wasn't the end of their night.

 

He'd kind of planned to hold Harry for a long while later, once they'd taken a romantic stroll by the water.

 

"I can't," Harry said and Louis really was shocked. His brows rose and the air left his lungs. He began to wonder what had been said outside while Harry had been in the car lot seeing Georgia off.

 

"Harry, did Georgia say something to you in the car-lot?" He asked, confused and kind of hopeful for that the be the answer to this problem because otherwise he didn't have a clue.

 

"No," Harry frowned and Louis knew right away she had said something.

 

"Does she know me?" He wondered.

 

Harry frowned down into his lap, still avoiding Louis' gaze. Why would this be to do with Louis? This was all his own fault, his own mess, his own wide-open heart and stupid love-struck face.

 

"Harry, please," Louis murmured, reaching for his hand. Harry balled it up defensively and Louis looked at him, devastated.

 

"What did she tell you?" He asked. "That I'm a killer? That I've stolen and injured? You knew all that, you knew-"

 

"I have to go," Harry stood, shunting his chair back unceremoniously.

 

Louis looked up, his face pale and his eyes wide in his face. He swallowed, somewhat in bitter acceptance.

 

"I'm staying at the Round Inn," Louis shared quickly, quietly. "If you change your mind," he added.

 

Harry turned and strode out of the restaurant, his limbs uncoordinated as he collided with a waitress and then the matire-d and it was all Louis could do to pin himself to his chair and not follow him out but he made sure Harry was safely in his hired car before he ran an exasperated hand over his face and headed outside, dialling into his cell phone.

 

//

 

"Lou," Liam greeted warmly. "What's this, mid-date summary? Gotta say, Sophia will be over-the-moon..."

 

"He left," Louis supplied tersely, somewhat snappily.

 

"Oh," Liam swallowed his warm enthusiasm quickly. "Um..why?"

 

"Ill be fucked if I know!" Louis sighed, running a hand through his hair.

 

Liam paused.

 

"Well, did he say anything before he walked out?"

 

Louis grimaced.

 

"he went into the car-lot with the interviewer and when he came back he was shaking and wouldn't look at me," Louis explained.

 

Liam frowned.

 

"What?"

 

"I asked him if she'd told him something about me but he wouldn't say anything just refused to go for a walk or share a bed or-" Louis' voice suddenly caught in his throat and he'd almost laugh at himself for being so damn hurt he wanted to cry right now.

 

"Louis, she doesn't know us," Liam assured.

 

"He knows I've _killed_ people, Liam, he knows I've _hurt_ people. Maybe she told him something else..."

 

"What else is there?" Liam teased, which wasn't helping.

 

Louis swallowed.

 

"That of which we never speak," he hedged.

 

He heard Liam's quick intake of breath.

 

"Oh!" He gasped in surprise. "Ohh...you think this girl knows?" He added sceptically.

 

Liam and Louis were the only two people alive who knew about That Of Which They Never Spoke. No-one else on earth could possibly have found out.

 

"Well, what else could it be?" Louis asked tightly. "To make him avoid looking at me and so scared he's shaking?"

 

"Louis, _calm down_ ," Liam instructed firmly. "that can't be it, okay? I'm absolutely sure of it..."

 

"then what?" He sighed, frustrated.

 

Liam looked over at Sophia at the other end of the line. He got up and carried his cell to his ear into the bedroom.

 

"Louis, do you think you're over-thinking this a bit?" He broached now he had the safety of privacy. "I know you care about Harry a lot so you have a tendency to-"

 

"I have a tendency to what, Liam?" He snapped.

 

"To lose sight of the bigger picture," Liam hedged.

 

Louis took a breath in the back of the car, heading up to his suite once he arrived.

 

"How can I fix this if I don't know what's wrong?" He wondered.

 

"Just give him some time," Liam suggested soothingly.

 

"I don't have much time," Louis reminded. "I have to book out by ten and I'll be back home by lunch..."

 

"Then stay," Liam challenged.

 

"What?" Louis asked, confused.

 

"You don't need to come home, there's nothing you need here. And you'll be there for when Harry needs you..."

 

Louis considered this option. It wasn't a bad idea. If he was going to move to Bakersfield then he'd need to get to know the area and despite his main motivation for moving here being Harry, he felt like he should have some independence in his new town.

 

"That's not a bad idea, Payno," he finally spoke.

 

"I'm not called clever for nothing," he teased.

 

"Hey, by the way there'll be an article coming out that identifies me," he added as an after-thought. "I'm quitting the dangerous heist missions."

 

"Yes!" Liam hissed and when Sophia called through the bedroom door to ask if he was okay, he ran out and scooped her up with one arm. "Yes, yes yes!" he cheered loudly.

 

Louis frowned on the other end of the line.

 

"Liam, you do realise you're cheering the end of your employment?" he posed.

 

Liam paused.

 

"Wait, what?"

 

"Joke!" Louis teased. "I'm going to send Max out on more missions and let you run that side of the business while I start a philanthropic arm..."

 

Louis could almost hear his smirk.

 

"Oh yeah? Feeling charitable suddenly?" he accused warmly.

 

"Its important to give back," Louis merely replied.

 

"Of course it is, boss," he teased and Louis rolled his eyes.

 

"Liam?" He said then, hesitantly.

 

"Yeah?"

 

"What if Harry doesn't need me?" He asked, suddenly quiet and weak.

 

Liam felt his heart go out to his sometimes vulnerable boss.

 

"Look, I'm not saying hound the guy but maybe in a couple of days if you haven't heard anything, go by with some flowers or something and test the waters, see if he's ready to talk?" He suggested.

 

Louis sighed.

 

"Okay, Li," he nodded, resigned.

 

"Lou, please, don't worry about this, I'm sure it's nothing..." he assured.

 

Louis ended the call with a soft goodbye and put his face into his hands.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

 

"What the feck is the matter with ya?"

 

Niall was never one to soft-coat his sympathy and Harry sulked in a curl on the sofa, feeling very much like sucking his thumb.

 

He'd only let Niall in because the bastard wouldn't stop ringing the communal doorbell despite knowing which door was Harry's.

 

"If I told you, you'd think I was pathetic," Harry sighed, curling into a smaller ball.

 

His hair was in a bun and he'd pulled on his bambi onesie.

 

"If you don't tell me I'll knee you in the balls," Niall warned as he clambered over Harry's foetal form and grabbed his wrists to force him onto his back, hands pressed by his ears. "Talk to me you shithead..."

 

Harry flicked his eyes around the room despondently, avoiding all contact.

 

"Did the date go bad? Was Louis a shit? Hey, he didn't try to-"

 

"No," Harry said loudly and firmly. "He would never," he added.

 

Niall arched a brow. "So what is it then prissy-pants?"

 

Harry swallowed and tears edged his wide-green eyes that looked so much bigger with his hair back.

 

"I'm in love with Louis," he said, very small, very shaky and so, so quiet.

 

Niall paused, blinked a few times.

 

"Yer what?" He asked, just to be sure.

 

"I. Am. In. Love. With. Louis." Harry repeated, slow and precise.

 

Niall rested his bum on his heels and half of Harry's calf as he sat back.

 

"Right, and?"

 

Harry widened his eyes.

 

"See, I knew you wouldn't get it," he grabbed his blanket and ducked under it.

 

Niall grabbed it back and began a war which he eventually won, pinning the thing either side of Harry's body.

 

"Can you please try and explain to me why this is a bad thing?" Niall begged.

 

He had a feeling he'd be here all day coaxing the sad truth from Harry's downward pouted lips.

 

"Because...because he doesn't feel the same!" Harry cast, raw pain burning in his chest.

 

Niall gaped.

 

"What!" He blew out a breath. "He what? He said that, said those actual words?" He couldn't comprehend this scenario.

 

Harry flicked his eyes away guiltily.

 

"Not exactly..."

 

Niall let go of his wrists and sat comfortably as Harry squirmed to sit up against the arm rest.

 

"What actually happened, Haz?" Niall asked patiently.

 

Harry blew out a breath.

 

"The woman knew, the photographer woman who interviewed us. When I walked her to her car she said she liked taking pictures of people who are in love...and that was me she was talking about," he arched a brow.

 

Niall scoffed.

 

"Um, and Louis?" He added.

 

Having met the older guy at the fashion show, Niall was in no doubt as to either Louis' feelings or his commitment to his best friend. Niall had never felt the need to be protective over Harry because he could plainly see Louis was besotted.

 

"How can he be?" Harry countered. "We hardly know each other..."

 

Niall took a calming breath.

 

"Okay, so let's just pretend for one minute that Louis isn't as in love with you as you are with him - a completely fabricated world okay? Try and imagine- what is the actual issue here?" Niall led.

 

"The way I look at him!" Harry exasperated like Niall should know. "Jesus Christ if Georgia can see it then so can the whole fucking world and-" He paused, gasping in air. "And Louis. Louis can see it, too."

 

"Christ mate, think he's too busy pouring love-hearts out of his own pupils to worry much about yours," Niall quipped and Harry scowled at him, hugging his blanket a bit tighter.

 

Niall ran a comforting hand up and down his calf.

 

"Harry, he's not going to suddenly not like you because you give him goo-goo eyes," Niall said.

 

Harry pouted.

 

"It might scare him off," he grumbled defensively, weak in his argument.

 

Niall tilted his head with a knowing purse of his lips.

 

"Please tell me you didn't ruin your whole date over this..."

 

"I didn't ruin our whole date over this," Harry replied, monotone.

 

Niall sighed.

 

"How bad was it?" He asked honestly.

 

Harry gave a little shrug.

 

"You didn't yell at him did you?" He checked.

 

Harry shook his head.

 

"You ran, didn't you?" niall guessed easily.

 

Harry gave him the big, doe eyed look he usually reserved for getting his way in the hardest of circumstances.

 

Niall ruffled his hair.

 

"Oh mate, you've got to call him," he said.

 

Harry swallowed.

 

"But then he'll know..."

 

"Right and is that such a horrible thing?" Niall coaxed.

 

"It is if he doesn't feel the same..." Harry quickly posed.

 

Niall sighed.

 

"Alright, if he doesn't feel the same it could be awkward. But have you even considered that he might?" He wondered.

 

Harry frowned. _Might what_? _Love him back_? He choked out a non-amused laugh.

 

"He can't," is all he said.

 

"Then can't you just talk to him without telling him?" Niall aimed for a different tact.

 

Harry cast his eyes downward, hands shaking.

 

"It's like she made me realise it, you know? The truth through someone else's words when you don't even know how you feel yourself..."

 

Niall shuffled across the sofa and hugged his friend, lips against his temple.

 

"I know its scary, Haz, but you've got to try. Louis is way too cool to be letting go..."

 

Harry arched a brow.

 

"What do you know anyway?" He mumbled.

 

"I know he paid ten thousand pounds to take you on a date he could have had for free, all because he wanted your charity to have the money...I know he took a bullet for you when you were too stubborn to come home...I know that he probably went home crushed after your date and is still sat wondering what the fuck he did wrong..."

 

Harry scoffed.

 

"How could you possible know that?" he challenged.

 

Niall smirked.

 

"Because he told me when he called me to ask if you were okay..."

 

Harry darted him a look.

 

"He did?"

 

Niall nodded.

 

"Even though you kicked him to the ground and refuse to speak to him, he's staying in that damn hotel for a grand a night until you decide to speak to him," Niall mused.

 

"He stayed?" Harry gaped, his second shock.

 

"You need to go and see him, Harry," Niall finished his speech, getting up to find him an outfit that Harry didn't protest about.

 

If he was really to go and see Louis to smooth things over then he needed to look good doing it.

 

//

 

Niall picked out his darkest black jeans and they also happened to be his tightest and hugged his legs- and body parts- quite nicely. He wasn't really comfortable with strutting down the sidewalk with everything on show but he hoped it might lend some seduction to win Louis back.

 

With his jeans he'd pulled on a scoop-necked tee shirt also in black and his swallow tattoos peaked above the neckline. He couldn't do much with his hair, it was already in a bun so he forwent any further styling and headed out of his room to find his new heeled black boots.

 

"Niall, what am I going to say?" Harry wondered as he zipped up the ankle boots quickly, grabbing his jacket.

 

Niall patted his shoulder.

 

"Something," he suggested and Harry rolled his eyes. "Something nice that sorts this out," he added.

 

Harry cuffed him and headed to the door, throwing it open purposefully, adrenaline filling his veins with his mission set in his mind.

 

He didn't expect to be greeted with a huge bunch of lilies.

 

"Oh-I..." Louis paused, hand raised as if to knock. "I didn't expect...um...are you on your way out?" He eventually pushed the words past his numb tongue, his mouth completely dry.

 

When he tilted the over-sized bouquet to one side he got the full effect of Harry's outfit of tight jeans and black tee. His mouth felt drier still.

 

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked with a frown and-

 

Louis' felt heart-broken all at once.

 

"I-"

 

Niall intervened the awkward moment.

 

"Don't listen to him, Lou," he clapped Louis on the shoulder as he squeezed by them both, sensing a reunion coming very shortly. "Harry, nice to see you, don't fuck this up," he added as Harry glared at Louis with angry, hard eyes.

 

"I was coming to find you!" Harry finally expelled, almost accusingly.

 

Louis' brows rose and his failing heart seemed to double-beat back into life.

 

"You were?"

 

"But you're here and I don't get why," Harry said again.

 

Niall, who was almost all the way down the corridor yelled out.

 

"Don't fuck it up, Haz!"

 

And Harry flicked an annoyed look at his disappearing back before letting out a breath.

 

Louis fiddled with the rather-heavy flowers.

 

"I, uh...I came to see you because it's been a while..." Louis hedged.

 

Two days. Two long, painful days. Harry could count off every minute and write a tragedy about it if required.

 

Louis looked amazing, all small and soft-haired, face clean-shaven and eyes tired. Harry noted the dark circles, wondered if he'd been to blame for those.

 

"But I've been a dick," Harry said and Louis laughed then, short and breathy.

 

"Well, you probably have a good reason," he suggested and Harry pouted.

 

"Not really..."

 

Louis looked at him then, all hopeful and so boyish, Harry felt a pang in his chest from not being there for Louis. He literally wanted to hold him so tight and he didn't know if he could anymore.

 

"Can I come in?" Louis asked, hesitantly.

 

Harry blinked.

 

"Who's the jungle for?" He wondered, stepping back to push the door back so Louis could enter.

 

"You," Louis admitted. "It was Liam's idea," he admitted sheepishly.

 

"Liam?" Harry questioned as he closed the front door behind him.

 

Louis paused in the entryway.

 

"He said I should probably come by with flowers and try to find out what I did wrong..." He offered softly.

 

Harry stared, pain ripping at his chest.

 

"You haven't done anything wrong," he said, voice hoarse with emotion.

 

Louis swallowed.

 

"There's a few things I've done that I'm not proud of that you should probably know about," Louis suggested and Harry was really confused.

 

Louis thought is was his fault he'd left their date. And was offering a confession from his past to try and make things okay. _No, no, no_. This wasn't right. Harry had to do something had to say something.

 

"I'll put those in a vase," he managed, taking the flowers and Louis let out a relieved breath to be rid of their heavy weight. "They're so beautiful, thank you," he added.

 

Louis ventured into the open hallway, looking left to the kitchen and then right to the living room that it was also open plan to.

 

"...But you didn't have to do that," Harry was saying as he came back through, gesturing Louis toward the sofa.

 

Louis took a seat and Harry offered him tea which he accepted- just for the pure fact it gave him an extra eight minutes or so in Harry's apartment while he made it.

 

"I know it's a bit cheesy isn't it?" Louis mused of his gesture. "Guy does wrong gets flowers to apologise..."

 

"You have nothing to apologise for!" Harry called from the kitchen and his voice was stronger than his courage.

 

Louis leaned forward, elbows to his knees. He leaned back to slip off his denim coat, heeling off his shoes by the coffee table and placing them on the wooden floorboards away from the rug so he wouldn't make it dirty.

 

He looked up as Harry brought two mugs in.

 

"Clearly I do," Louis commented as Harry curled into a chair and he couldn't help but notice the deliberate decision to sit away from him. "I have a feeling Georgia might have said something about me and what I used to do and that it's hurt you- understandably," Louis added quickly to show he wasn't blaming anyone but himself.

 

Harry shook his head his moody frown still marring his features but Louis looked over him with nothing but soft appreciation. He loved Harry's long hair and the way today it was held high on the back of his head in a ponytail. He loved his clear pale skin and his straight nose. He loved his broad shoulders, the way he curled up in his chair because he felt vulnerable.

 

And it began to hit Louis just how much he did love about Harry Styles. More than he didn't that was for certain. And the last two days had hit him pretty hard wondering whether Harry would even talk to him again. It was like a dream that he was here at all.

 

"Georgia didn't say anything, Louis," he assured quietly.

 

Louis looked mildly confused but brushed over that.

 

"I still think you deserve to know everything about me," Louis hedged. "Before you decide that talking to me is definitely what you want to do."

 

Harry could have cried right then with Louis' sweetness, the way he was blaming himself and assuming he had done wrong. But something in Harry wanted to hear what Louis deemed so awful that it would have made him want to leave that night. He kind of needed to know so that when he told Louis the truth about that night, he could also tell he didn't care. Whatever Louis had to say to him in the next two minutes he absolutely didn't care because he was in love with Louis.

 

Harry was in love with Louis Tomlinson and it wasn't going away.

 

He kept his gaze low to try and avoid tipping Louis' off with his so called 'heart-eyed' looks.

 

"Okay," he prompted Louis into confessing his sins.

 

Louis sat back with a sigh, sipping his tea.

 

"When I was a teenager I needed a lot of attention," he admitted first-off. "I was often picked up by the local PD for breaking and entering or attempted theft...I was, shall we say, inventive with my methods..."

 

Harry did look up then, all green eyes gazing on Louis like he was the sun broaching the horizon in the early morning. Louis was just incredible. How couldn't he know it?

 

Louis shrugged, mid-story and Harry had to remember his previous words after getting distracted by his eyelashes.

 

"When I was eighteen I decided to leave home...I became a bit of a pick-pocket, lived with some guys from college...you know nothing serious but-well, let's just say I fell in with a bad crowd and I soon learnt a whole new skill set..."

 

"Louis," Harry cleared his throat gently. "It's okay, I don't mind you know, whatever it is that you have to tell me, it won't change anything..."

 

Louis sucked in a breath at Harry's first vocalisation of forgiveness, of acceptance. He decided to push on before he lost the nerve to tell his story.

 

"I hate the person I was then, a guy who would flip a pen-knife to threaten people, sometimes slash them...a guy who grabbed handbags and ran..." he heaved a sigh. "I learnt to fight and to win," he added, not going into details which Harry's mind still filled in with a sorrowful glance.

 

"I'm so sorry, Lou," he offered and Louis was bemused at his sympathy.

 

Harry should be mad at him, should be thinking less of him, should be deciding that Louis didn't make the grade as far as boyfriends went.

 

"I began to see the error of my ways," he added with a rueful lift of his brows. "I began changing...became a sort of vigilante, saving people and stealing things back that had been stolen from innocent people..."

 

Harry smiled.

 

"But being a vigilante meant I hurt other people-bad people, yes but-"

 

Louis bit his lip.

 

"Like I said I'm not proud..."

 

He ducked his head and waited for Harry's words, the ones he expected to be heavy and regretful and full of goodbye and-

 

"I am."

 

Louis jerked his head up, smirking at Harry.

 

"What?"

 

"I'm proud of you," he said, low and gentle. "They _were_ the bad guys and you fought them to help others...like you still do, Louis. Like you still do, getting hurt and almost killed just to help the innocent."

 

Louis blinked, long lashes fluttering. He was actually speechless.

 

"If that's how you really feel-"

 

"It is," Harry cut in.

 

Louis started over.

 

"If that's how you really feel then what happened on Saturday?" He wondered.

 

It was Harry's turn to duck his head, guilt painting across his features.

 

"I was being an idiot that's all," he mumbled.

 

Louis put his cup down, reached across and curled a hand around Harry's knee. Wrapped in black denim his legs looked gorgeous but Louis would just as soon lose the fabric to run his hands over Harry's lovely bare limbs.

 

"Well is there something I can do?" Louis asked, feeling a little hopeless of the situation. "I mean-I can't just let you go, Harry," he added ruefully.

 

Harry stared at him.

 

"What?"

 

"Don't ask me to walk away without knowing what it is that I've done wrong-or you've done wrong," he added as Harry opened his mouth to protest to Louis' idea that he was in the wrong here. "I want to fix this," he added resolutely.

 

"You stayed," Harry tilted his head, in awe of that fact.

 

"Yeah, I did," he agreed. "I made some friends and found where the best bakeries are so I can get us fresh breakfast..."

 

Such a small word, only two letters and yet it made Harry ache deep inside. It was also the first brick that gave way in the dam holding back his tears.

 

He began to shake his head, tears quickly filling his eyes and he turned quickly to escape, shooting up off the couch to fast-walk to his room and Louis watched him go with an even-more confused look than before.

 

He shot up after him, refusing to let Harry run twice and he managed to wedge his foot into the bedroom door Harry tried to slam shut on him.

 

"Don't!" Harry roared, voice raw and filled with emotion.

 

Louis paused at the half-open door as Harry threw himself on the bed, front first.

 

"Harry, I'm not leaving," he said, quiet and firm.

 

"Well you should!" Harry cast, dragging in messy breaths, his saliva thickening with his tears. "You've sat there and tried to tell me what a horrible person you are and you have no idea! You have no idea what a truly awful person I am! And if you knew, you wouldn't be stood there! You wouldn't have stayed in the hotel or even bothered to care after our date-"

 

Louis arched a brow at Harry's outburst, coming inside the room and closing the door behind him. Even if Harry lived alone Louis didn't trust Niall not to make a reappearance to tell Harry a third time not to screw things up. Louis realised he should have probably took notice of that remark, enough to apportion some of the blame to Harry for what happened on Saturday.

 

"But I did," Louis said. "And I'm not leaving," he said again.

 

Harry cried at how stubborn Louis was, cried at how idiotic he was being right now. He cried at how close he had come to losing Louis to the gang, at how magical everything had seemed when they went on their first date. He cried at how he loved this man, this broken and flawed man who might not even love him back.

 

But Louis was still here, had waited so long to be with Harry in the true sense and given him his most meaningful possession. Harry felt like ripping it off and throwing it back at him if he didn't think Louis would be devastated by it. He wanted to tell Louis he wasn't worth anything, not even his necklace.

 

He didn't know how long he cried for before Louis sat on the edge of the bed. He couldn't count the time between the dip of the mattress and the sensation of cool fingertips soothing his skin, trailing over his forehead and his cheeks, taking tears away.

 

He couldn't remember when he closed his eyes and just breathed into the bed-cover with lungfuls of hurt air, fingers clasping at the cotton. He really wasn't sure when a warm weight pressed against his back and strong arms circled his waist. He wasn't sure when the kisses started, either but they were there, against his neck, over his shoulders where his t-shirt scooped low on his back.

 

The murmurs came after, when his breathing was still wild and the soft scratchy voice was so serene he couldn't help but be calmed by it.

 

"...it's all going to be okay, princess. Hm? Nothing to worry about, nothing so bad we cant fix it, right? Don't cry now, you're breaking my heart..."

 

Harry twitched, realised Louis was laying on his back; body to body.

 

"Louis?"

 

"Hmm?" Harry felt Louis' breath tickle his ear.

 

"I need to say something..."

 

"Okay, beautiful..."

 

Harry couldn't help his scoff as he tried to lift up.

 

"I need to turn over..." he added and Louis shifted back to let him turn, tucking into his side and sliding a possessive thigh over Harry's to pin him in place.

 

Louis' hand went to his face, fingertips stroking there, brushing away the dig above Harry's brow.

 

"Stop frowning," Louis asked softly. "Nothing is so bad we can't work it out, right?"

 

Harry swallowed. This was pretty awful. He was pretty sure Louis would hate him forever more after this. And if Louis wasn't doing what he was doing- being the perfect boyfriend, then this might have been easier. It would have been a whole lot easier in fact. Because ensuring the end to him and Louis was difficult enough let alone when Louis was being the nicest man on earth.

 

And Harry knew what he had to say would definitely be the end. How could it not?

 

"Harry, babe, talk to me," Louis begged and it reminded Harry of when they'd been on the plane and Louis had tried to coax his words out of him then. He caught his breath in his lungs in preparation, soaking up Louis' lovely embrace for the last possible moment he'd be blessed with it. His voice was rough when he cleared his throat.

 

Louis seemed to be opening his mouth to speak as well, but he figured that really couldn't be the case because-

 

"Look, Harry, I don't know if it makes any difference to what you have to say but you should probably know that you can say pretty much anything right now and it won't change anything," Louis rushed.

 

Harry shook his head, pushing his hands up to clutch at Louis' front in an attempt to shush him.

 

"In fact these last two days have given me a lot of time to think about things and it's kind of bad timing but I think I should probably just be honest about how I feel..."

 

Harry's hands crawled up his chest to his neck, clutching at his cheeks, pushing his thumbs against his lower lip to stop his lips.

 

"Harry I-

 

"I love you," Harry said, pushing the words out as his lungs clutched at air.

 

"...love you," Louis finished at the same time, a frown instantly crossing his featured.

 

"You what?" Louis gasped, Harry's thumbs falling away from his lips.

 

"You can't," Harry said back, also frowning.

 

Louis wondered if this was how love declarations usually rolled out.

 

"I do," Louis said, shifting on top of him a bit more. He looked right into Harry's eyes. "Harry, I love you, okay?"

 

"No, it's not okay," Harry denied, still frowning. "Because I've been a total dick and you didn't deserve that..."

 

Louis' fingers worked to the back of Harry's head and tugged out the elastic bobble holding his hair back. He made sure those long strands fanned out; sank his fingers into the mess of curls. He made sure to kiss him, short and sweet since Harry didn't kiss him back.

 

"Harry, I love you," he said again.

 

Harry stared at him, took long moments to absorb the news.

 

"But I love _you_ ," Harry said, confused.

 

Louis let himself grin then, big and flashy.

 

"Thank god for that..."

 

"And you're meant to be horrified," Harry added rather non-sensically Louis thought.

 

"What?" He questioned, still fingering Harry's hair happily.

 

"I-you can't just...you can't just _love me back_!" He protested, trying to get up.

 

Louis leaned his weight down, having him trapped.

 

"Tough," Louis arched a brow, mostly ignoring Harry's protests even if a small part of him was secretly panicking. Hadn't Harry said I love you back? that had to mean _something_.

 

"No, Louis, I left because of this!" Harry argued. "Because of how I feel. because of how _you_ make me feel!" he added emphatically. "And I left because I didn't want you to know...because I knew you couldn't feel the same! So...so why do you?" He questioned, bewildered.

 

Louis tangled their fingers together, Harry's hands pressed into the bed.

 

"I don't understand anything you're saying right now," Louis breathed.

 

"Why not, I'm speaking plain English?" Harry snapped.

 

Louis smirked.

 

"Well then maybe you should have chosen another outfit," he suggested huskily, pressing his body into Harry's. "Since you've been a distraction since I walked in..."

 

Harry wasn't prepared when Louis went to kiss him, he made a 'mmf' sound and tensed his body against the notion but really, he was never going to win that fight.

 

He needed Louis' kisses too much, needed his lips and his body just like this, pressing him into the bed. Harry let his fingers go lax between Louis', felt his body betray him and arch up; needing more hard flesh to rub against.

 

If he had any protests about this stealth attack on his senses, he didn't voice them. He just let Louis kiss him until, his bones turned to jelly.

 

Louis' Eskimo kiss nearly finished him off. He made a noise in his throat and throat his hips up in frustration at his tenderness. It turned him on and it wasn't fair.

 

Louis was smiling and the crinkles by his eyes were breathtaking.

 

"Are you really mad?" Louis asked.

 

Harry shook his head, untangled their hand and cupped Louis' face.

 

"I was so afraid..."

 

Louis winced and re-positioned on the bed slightly, pulling Harry close.

 

"You know what I wanted to do after I took you for a walk by the river?" He posed, changing topic slightly.

 

"No," Harry offered, throat still raw from crying.

 

"Hold you...like this," Louis squeezed a little tighter, sighing out against Harry's temple. "Just hold you, Princess. For as long as you'd let me," he mused.

 

Harry burrowed closer, a pained whine in his throat.

 

"I've fucked everything up," he whispered.

 

Louis smirked.

 

"And what did Niall tell you...?" He led, teasingly.

 

Harry managed a smiled.

 

"I never did follow orders very well," Harry acknowledged.

 

"So, can I ask you out again?" Louis posed then, stroking down the back of Harry's head. "Dinner with a walk by the river and a sleep-over holding you?"

 

"Tonight, seven-thirty?" Harry kissed his throat where he hid his face.

 

"Fine, but I'm not leaving this house," he warned. "You can come on my date with me from here..."

 

Harry couldn't help his chuckle.

 

"Deal," he agreed.

 

"Harry?"

 

"Yeah?"

 

"You wouldn't have ruined it, you know, if you had told me on Saturday," Louis offered gently.

 

Harry made a rueful face.

 

"I didn't know you felt the same," Harry defended lightly.

 

"Even if I didn't--I wouldn't have felt afraid," he promised, kissing into Harry's now-messy hair. "Don't ever be afraid to tell me anything."

 

Harry sighed with a nod. "I'm learning," he offered.

 

Louis' tightening of his arms was acknowledgement of that.

 

//

 

"Hey, look, a police boat!" Harry ran toward the edge of the walkway by the river and leaned over the stone railing, tugging Louis by their twined hands behind him.

 

"They'll never catch them," Louis arched a brow at the pursuit.

 

Harry turned and arched his brow.

 

"You escaped a police boat?" He checked.

 

Louis smirked.

 

"They're slow," he shrugged. "Hardly a feat."

 

Harry leaned back on the wall and pulled Louis closer with his hands at his waist, reeling him in.

 

"Tell me something, am I dating a criminal?" He wondered.

 

Louis wrapped his arms around Harry's shoulders, only a minor flinch in his shoulder now.

 

"No, but you might be in love with one..."

 

Harry blushed becomingly and Louis had to kiss him, just had to, couldn't not because it would have been impossible. And he was sure terrible things would happen if he didn't have Harry's lips under his right now...

 

"Harry Styles?" A voice called, tugging them out of their sensual moment.

 

Harry looked over Louis' shoulder until Louis shifted to one side and then Harry quickly re-joined their hands. He squinted at the stranger.

 

"Um...sorry, do I know you?" He asked.

 

Louis tensed beside him at the expression of non-recognition.

 

"I'm Jack...we met briefly at the fashion show," he added in explanation.

 

Harry thought back to the event- a long time ago in his timeline.

 

"Oh!" he clicked suddenly with a polite smile. "The presentation guy..."

 

Jack laughed. "That's right," he nodded. "We do specialise in tools and training fro big speeches..."

 

Harry lifted his brows, silently wondering why Jack had interrupted him in an evidently private moment just to talk shop.

 

"So...uh...having a good night?" Harry asked.

 

Louis slipped his arm around Harry waist and edged closer, turning to press his nose into Harry's neck. His hand slipped down to his backside, squeezing there suggestively which made Harry gasp a little, trying to hide his reaction.

 

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to-uh..." Jack tailed off as Louis smiled into Harry's neck.

 

"It's kinda an important night for us," Harry excused with a warmth across his cheeks at Louis' blatant enjoyment of not just him but his awkwardness too.

 

Harry's side gave a little as Louis tucked himself under his jacket. He tried to keep the grin off his face and failed, wrapping his arm around Louis' shoulders and smiling down at him.

 

"So Jack," Harry looked back to the man who stopped them. "I'll catch up with you another day?" He suggested, wanting to get Louis home as quickly as possible so he could kiss him- all over.

 

Jack went about finding his business card from his trouser pocket, flicking Louis an embarrassed look which Louis received with a wolfish grin and extra squeeze to Harry's behind that he was sure the other guy knew about since Harry made a low squeak in his throat and cleared his throat while a hot blush crept over his face.

 

"Th-thanks," Harry accepted the card, groping for Louis' hand to twine their fingers and keep the offending limb away from his body.

 

Louis retaliated by kissing the back of Harry's hand lovingly. Harry could do nothing but smile wanly as Jack bid them farewell at which point Louis turned and started walking again as though he hadn't a care in the world. Harry was tugged as their joined hands resisted breaking were he stood still. He stumbled to catch up.

 

"Oh, careful there, Princess," Louis teased with a warm smile.

 

Harry slid him a dark look.

 

"I cannot believe you just did that," he accused lowly.

 

"Hm?" Louis feigned innocence. "Did what, babe?"

 

Harry scoffed.

 

"Er, made me hard in front of that guy?" He offered for starters, walking a little wide-thighed to accommodate the press of his arousal against the front of his tight jeans.

 

Louis' step faltered and he swallowed heavy.

 

"My hotel is one block from here," he said only, voice suspiciously high and breathy.

 

Harry suddenly gasped.

 

"You did that on purpose!" he blamed.

 

Louis smirked.

 

"I don't appreciate that accusation, Haz," he mused.

 

Harry untangled their hands and blatantly gave Louis' lovely behind a full grab. Louis stumbled in his confident walk and waited for Harry to retract his hand. Harry left it there, on his ass-cheek, a smug smile about his lips as he casually strolled.

 

"Very funny," Louis offered. "I see what this is..."

 

"Just wanted to show some public affection for my boyfriend," Harry shrugged nonchalantly.

 

Louis was in two minds regarding Harry's rather large paw branding his rear. He wanted to remove it before his erection became blatant and he became too flustered to act normal but on the other hand -pun intended- he wanted it to stay there forever.

 

Louis mumbled something under his breath but Harry didn't take that as an objection and therefore kept his hand planted nicely on the curve of Louis' buttock where his palm fit perfectly as luck would have.

 

They approached the hotel entrance more quickly than they had left its interior when Harry met Louis in the reception area but when Louis was ushered din first by Harry, he totally hand t expected underhand tactics.

 

And Harry's hand sliding toward the middle of his butt, his index finger pressing tellingly against his clothed hole as definitely, completely underhand. He couldn't help his surprised gasp in or the way his whole body tensed with anticipation. His ass wanted more, that was a certainty.

 

Louis wasn't willing to think about how much more without consulting Harry on the subject but that would require speaking and right now he was marching for the elevator, Harry being dragged helplessly behind, long hair flying wildly about.

 

"Jeez, Lou, whatever happened to romance?" Harry remarked as Louis tugged him into the elevator and instantly pressed a button.

 

The second the doors closed, Louis turned and pressed him into the wall, rutting his hardness up against Harry's thigh as he gave him an open-mouthed kiss, all licks and bites and messy hot lips that Harry had trouble coping with.

 

"Not here," he begged, his shirt tugged out of his jeans and quickly unbuttoned at the bottom by Louis so his hands could fan against his fern tattoos, right against his hips.

 

Harry's breaths slew in and out of his lungs as he watched Louis' mouth crashing back against his as his long, lean torso was exposed and enjoyed with Louis' small hands at the helm. When one of those claiming hand pushed heel-first into his swollen jeans-front, Harry groaned and grasped Louis by the shoulders, turning them so he could take control.

 

He rubbed his hard body shamelessly against Louis' smaller one, his erection at Louis' hip and pushing upwards but he was mindless with it, hair flipping back and hot, fast breaths leaving his lungs as he ground into him, truly aroused to the point of no return.

 

Louis could see why Harry had begged 'not here' since he was now the recipient of their rather hot reaction to PDA but he could only tug Harry down for a kiss, hand cupped around the back of his neck to make that happen, their lips meeting in a mess, scorching and needy and uncoordinated such was their desire.

 

Up until now every kiss had been amazing and this one was no different apart from the urgency of it, the lack of softness and the introduction of need.

 

They stumbled out of the lift as it came to a stop and Harry wiped the back of his hand across his lips as a couple waiting at their floor gave them a surprised glance. Harry knew his lips were red, his hair was wild and his shirt was undone and he didn't even care.

 

He let Louis lead them out of the enclosed space and into the corridor, checking back on the startled pair to check they weren't too offended with what they just saw. He glanced down at his jeans and winced at the hard bulge pressing obscenely there and he used two fingers to release his stud, tugging the zipper down.

 

"Fuck, Harry," Louis hissed ahead of him. "Can you fucking wait to get undressed?" He begged, his voice strained.

 

"It hurts," Harry told him, slow and defensive. "It needs room to breathe..."

 

Louis glanced back at him, his eyes dark and his own hair well-messed by Harry's hands.

 

"I'll pull your pants down and suck you right here if you want room to breathe," he glittered.

 

Harry lazily blinked his eyes across at him.

 

"Don't be crude," Harry chided.

 

It took forever to get to Louis' room and Harry had pushed him up against the wall before they'd even made it inside just to rut his needy body against Louis' again, kissing him messily as he cupped his face to keep him there.

 

Once they were inside, everything went from urgent fever to impassioned embracing and they pirouetted across the floor; stumbling before they actually made the bed.

 

Harry didn't seem too bothered about making the extra few feet as he straddled Louis;' hips and fought his way out of his shirt and jacket, undressing Louis completely with a smug smile on his face. When he came to his own jeans, he began the belt with sure hands, his eyes never leaving the blue-grey of his partner.

 

Louis had taken over the task, slipping the tail of the belt through the buckle, pushing his hands under the denim of Harry's jeans and forcing them down to this thighs where he sat in Louis' lap.

 

"You have to get up," Louis told him, but his voice was unrecognisable, thick with desire.

 

Harry was reluctant to give up his controlling position but he rolled away, letting Louis slide off his jeans a task marred by the fact they caught on his calves.

 

"Is this part of the celibacy thing?" Louis teased, landing kisses to Harry's thighs as he yanked hard at the bottom of his jeans. "Can't get in your pants so no sex?"

 

Harry groaned in frustration, so hard he thought he might actually explode right there, while his dick bounced against his belly and Louis kissed his skin.

 

Louis glance at him, going more gently with the material to rid his jeans. He quickly took Harry's swollen dick in his hand and stroked, breathy with excitement at pleasing him as he clambered across Harry's thighs, reversing their positions.

 

"Don't hold back on my account," Louis husked, seeing how close Harry was, how very, very close and it was a wonder how they'd got here so fast, so high and hard all in one.

 

"Don't you-" Harry gasped as he felt the butterfly texture of Louis' lips press a kiss to his head and that was it, he was streaming fierce wet come onto Louis' chest and his own thighs simultaneously as Louis stroked him through it.

 

His sound of satisfaction was throaty and filthy and Louis was laid atop him, hardness pressing into his belly.

 

Harry blinked his eyes open, awed and in post-sex wonderment.

 

"Don't you want to have sex?" he finished his sentence breathily.

 

Louis kissed him, more tenderly now he'd come even though Harry was sure Louis' need was just as driven as before. He noted the self-control it must have taken Louis to do that.

 

"Can I..." Louis swallowed. "Between your thighs," he managed to husk out.

 

Harry thought he might be blushing but he blamed the ruddy cheeks on their explosive passion, quickly nodding his agreement. He wasn't sure if Louis preferred him front up or front down or if he wanted Harry to kneel on all fours and he wasn't sure how to ask.

 

Louis was already turning him, knees braced on the outer side of his thighs to keep them pressed together. Harry flexed his fingers into the sheet, wondering if he should tuck his knees up. Louis seemed to shuffle up so his knees were right by his hips and Harry felt the heavy weight of his dick press down, lodging him between his thighs right at the top where they met his torso.

 

He swallowed quickly, imagining Louis; dick slipping, imagining that his hole wasn't so far away from where Louis intended to sink. Louis leaned down a little, pushing into the tight soft muscle of his thighs where Harry clenched them to keep him tight within that tunnel.

 

He heard Louis' pained groan out, heard his pleasured hiss. Louis swiped his hair back; leant his lips against the shell of his ear, breathing out as he eased up, then sank down again.

 

"I won't fuck you," Louis promised darkly in his ear, a murmur really. Harry tensed at his words. "Harry, I promise, I would never do that..."

 

"I know," Harry replied, and he had promised the same to Niall.

 

"Relax, Princess," he hummed. "This is fucking amazing and the rest can wait, yeah?"

 

Harry nodded, a moan dragged from his own throat as Louis began a rhythm, just as though he were filling him with every deep stroke only the soreness the friction caused on his thighs was delicious. Louis was using Harry's own come to slide in and out of his skin, lube not coming into the mix this time but it was almost too much for Harry to take, his body pushed into the bed, his thighs being used in this delightfully sinful way and most of all the way Louis wasn't pushing at his hole, urging for more now they'd said the words that released Harry's self-imposed celibacy.

 

The rest could wait.

 

Harry turned his face to the side and bit his lip hard at the thought of it.

 

"Can I," Louis breathed, sharp and short, pausing his words.

 

"What?" Harry begged. "Ask me..."

 

Louis tucked his hair back so their eyes met, just briefly from their awkward position.

 

"Can I just...slide it...up your ass? Not in," Louis described. "Just between your cheeks?"

 

Harry groaned out a weak 'yes' and buried his face, hardening against already and he blamed Louis entirely. Who the fuck asked questions like that? Who gave him the godamn right to ask?

 

Most guys would just do. And Harry knew the reason he had asked was because he'd just promised not to penetrate him and if Louis had gone near his ass-crack he would have been panicked for sure but-

 

It was so hot, hearing the words, hearing him want to-

 

The intensity of the question was no match for the actual reality. When Louis spread his ass-cheeks apart with two gentle thumbs Harry whined and jutted a little into the bed. The heavy heat of his dick there was indescribable and from somewhere, Louis squirted lube.

 

It was a hot, slippery mess of almost-sex and Harry found Louis; respect as much of a turn on as his dick. He alternated, thighs to crack and Harry was painfully aroused by the time Louis was reaching his peak.

 

"Can I-" Louis began again, only to be cut off.

 

"Yes, Louis!" Harry breathed, hard and heated.

 

Louis gave little regard to Harry's temper as he eased out from his thighs and stroked himself furiously to peak, splattering obscenely over Harry's handsome behind. Louis didn't miss the way Harry's cheeks tensed with the contact or the way he rutted into the bed.

 

"Turn over then, babe," he commanded breathily, taking Harry into his mouth with a no-messing-about suck.

 

"Fuck!" Harry threw an arm across his eyes and convulsed, coming right onto Louis; tongue almost the moment he took him deep.

 

He felt an embarrassed blush hit his cheeks.

 

Louis crawled up his body and collapsed, full weight against his chest where he curled, in need of touch. Harry gave it, quickly and without being asked.

 

Louis cuddled into his embrace, the feel of strong arms around him comforting and reassuring. For some reason after sex- or nearly-sex- he felt strangely insecure. Like he wasn't good enough to be hugged to sleep. like wanting to hug someone else to sleep was a sign of weakness. He gave out a thankful sigh that Harry liked being held as much as Louis liked to hold.

 

"So the moral of the story is..." Harry said, in his inimitable style.

 

Louis couldn't help his giggle, pure and sweet. His eyes crinkled and his small dimple appeared even though he was cheek-down to Harry's chest.

 

"No PDA," Louis finished for him.

 

"Hey," Harry pouted, his voice huskier than usual.

 

Louis looked up, arched a brow.

 

"You _want_ to do that again?" He wondered, mildly curious. Public sex would be a new thing for him but he wouldn't rule anything out where Harry was concerned.

 

"I want to hold your hand," Harry amended.

 

Louis smiled, placing a tender kiss to his swollen lips.

 

"Done," he agreed easily.

 

"I quite like touching your ass, too," Harry added quickly and Louis couldn't help the grin that worked its way back across his face.

 

"Well that goes both ways," he assured.

 

Harry looked down their bodies as he rolled to one side.

 

"Sticky mess," he observed.

 

Louis nodded. "You shower, I'll strip the bed," he suggested.

 

Harry shook his head, his pout deepening.

 

" _We_ shower, _we_ strip the bed," he said.

 

Louis rolled his eyes.

 

"Really?" He mused.

 

Harry nodded.

 

"I'm not letting you go again," he said then and Louis realised that their reunion a few days ago was still playing on Harry's mind. Or the events leading to that reunion to be precise.

 

Louis brushed his thumb against Harry's neck where his beard had left a hot red rash.

 

"I still have to go back to Liam's," he reminded. "I'm booking out of here tomorrow."

 

"Stay at mine for a night?" Harry said then. "I just want to wake up with you in my bed..."

 

Louis blinked. He knew the feeling. If he had a bed to call his own, he'd have the same thing to say.

 

"Alright, Princess, you call the shots," Louis smirked as he rolled away, waiting for Harry to get up before he whipped the sheet off the bed and looked for a spare, butt naked.

 

Harry's hands seemed to work their way from his hips onto his belly and soon his thumbs brushed his nipples and Louis leaned back into his body, gasping for air in this surprise attack.

 

"So soon, Lou?" Harry hummed in his ear, one hand dipping to wrap his arousal inside his palm, tugging at him.

 

Louis could only choke out his pleasure, head thrown back, Harry made quick work of kissing his neck, licking into his pulse-point as Louis aimlessly grasped for something to steady him. He wrapped his arms around Harry's neck behind him, wincing only slightly at the stretch in his bad shoulder from that awkward angle. The move invited Harry to make the most of his neck so he sucked at the skin, a beautiful purple mark left there as he quickened the pace of his hand; Louis fucking up into it and groaning out loudly.

 

"Can we at least---get in the shower," Louis sighed, his ass crack rubbing against Harry's own impressive hardness behind him.

 

"Don't want to move," Harry murmured in his ear. "Have you in my control now..."

 

Louis let his head push back further, let his body arch as he gave up a little more of his inhibition. He had no idea if Harry liked it, if this was all part of his plan, all he knew was that he was powerless. He had no semblance of control left and any pretence he might have tried to hold for being in charge was eradicated when his knees weakened as Harry pressed two fingers between his cheeks against his hold suggestively.

 

"Can't do this in the shower," Harry whispered and Louis knew the lube wasn't a far stretch and he wondered if Harry would reach for it or if he would finger him dry.

 

He closed his eyes and prayed for lube. His prayers were answered.

 

And if he had thought Harry wouldn't be very skilled in the fingering department then he'd be wrong. Harry was a god. He knew exactly what to do, how to touch, when to be so, so gentle, when to push a little harder, when to stroke, to curve his digits, to pump them in and out- in excruciating slowness albeit.

 

Louis was a quivering wreck when Harry turned his chin right around to kiss him and Louis was hard again already and so, so close the lightest touch could set him streaming.

 

He didn't think Harry's touch inside of him would be that trigger. But when Harry slipped down to his knees and pushed his fingers apart, only to flick his tongue between them- well, then Louis couldn't be expected to withstand that kind of sneaky unfairness could he?

 

He came, sleek and messy up his stomach as Harry flicked his tongue into him, again and again. Those parted fingers scissored a little in test as he rose, more to keep Louis upright than because he was satisfied his work was done on Louis; ass.

 

His hand splayed on Louis' belly, right among the mess he'd made. Louis felt Harry press close, chest to his back, heart beating hard against his skin. It was intoxicating being this close to hi, being this intimate.

 

"If you want...if you're ready...we could...in the shower," Harry murmured.

 

Louis sucked in a breath, not having full considered this moment. He knew Harry liked both, he was a man of sharing himself but still, he had somehow always imagined their first time being Harry on the receiving end.

 

Louis liked this slightly commanding version of his boyfriend, found it strangely erotic letting him take charge and he was ready for sex-more than ready in the physical and emotional sense but this was-

 

Well, _making love_.

 

Louis had maybe never done that.

 

He turned, re-fastening his arms at Harry's neck.

 

"Got the lube?" He checked.

 

Harry nodded, pressing the cool plastic of the bottle into Louis' lower back where his hands rested lightly.

 

Louis kissed him.

 

"Make love to me?" He asked, a little vulnerably Harry thought.

 

He drew him closer, wrapped him tight in his arms.

 

"Always," he promised.

 

Louis led the way, turning on the faucet to a light drizzle like mild rainfall but with a warm tinge to it. They washed each other, spent some time stroking and touching and kissing...

 

Harry went to turn Louis into the shower wall but Louis resisted.

 

"Can I see you?" He asked, jutting his chin up.

 

Harry pressed a thumb there to part his lips and kissed him long and lovingly, making Louis knees weak again. He wrapped his thighs around Harry's hips and squeezed to keep balance as Harry pressed his back to the cold shower glass and Louis startled a little, then threw his head back to gain the water of the faucet into his face.

 

Harry used a lot of lube, made sure he avoided the stream of water so as not to wash any off and he was there, between Louis thighs and tip pressed to his hole as his green eyes surveyed him.

 

"Louis, I love you," he said.

 

Louis bit his lip, nodded. "Me, too..."

 

"This isn't...I waited for this, you know? This is special..." He breathed.

 

Louis paused then, realising why he was hesitating. He cupped his face in strong hands.

 

"I love you," he expressed, low and meaningful. "You're the first guy I've ever-" he paused, his throat closing in on his words. He swallowed, forcing them out. "You're the first guy I've made love with," he managed tightly, reluctantly.

 

Harry eased into him then, those words seemingly his cue. Louis gasped at the feel of him, his size, how he filled him so nicely with a burning stretch. Harry went slow, paused before he was all the way inside.

 

"Louis..." He strangled out, burying his face into Louis' neck.

 

Louis stroked the back of his head, knowing how intense this must be for Harry both from the physical sense- because it had been a good long time since Harry last fucked anyone and in the emotional sense because he was breaking his celibacy rule and laying his heart on the line.

 

"Princess, take me," he hoarsed in encouragement. "I'm already yours..."

 

Harry thrust up then, clutching Louis' hips to make sure he bedded deep in him and the move stretched silent screams into both their mouths as water sprayed down lightly upon them.

 

"Fuck," Harry choked. "Jesus--"

 

"Don't say fuck again," Louis begged. He was barely holding on as it was, quivering with need and so close to orgasm he was sure he would come just from the feel of Harry inside him.

 

"Mine, hm?" Harry hummed, easing out only to thrust back in, easy, slow temperate to his move.

 

"Yes," Louis agreed breathily. "Yours."

 

"Think you can take it?" Harry asked, brow arching sadistically.

 

Louis gasped, arching his body in response.

 

"Oh you want to, don't you?" Harry's voice was low, glinted with dangerous promise. "You want to take it so deep..."

 

Louis couldn't help his whine-needy and loud. He couldn't help the way his body gave into Harry even when he wanted to be the dominant one in this situation. It was a new revelation to him that Harry could literally bring him to his knees- or to this whimpering, quivering wreck who begged for more, begged for 'harder' and only cried out loudly when Harry gave him it anything but hard.

 

For what Harry avoided in force, he made up for in depth. He was a big guy and he went as deep as he could this first time, pushing Louis; limits just as much as he could take. It was so tight the way they fit together, so intense the way Harry fucked him slow and good...it was like screwing in the dirtiest way possible with someone who loved your entire soul and wouldn't dare rip a hair from your head for fear of hurting you.

 

Louis had found his lifelong partner, he was sure. If only he could find his voice-or his brain to engage to form the words his mind scrabbled at.

 

If he could manage sounds of appreciation, utterances of pleasure, cries or plain old swear-words then he was doing particularly well he thought. All of those occurred as Harry thrust into him, over and over, his taut muscled body straining with the exertion.

 

Louis didn't even touch his own dick. Harry couldn't let go of him to reach for it but it didn't seem to matter. When Harry neared his peak he kissed Louis for long, hard moments and filled him with slow, tender thrusts and it was a slow, slow build that climbed steadily higher but even though Louis felt that epic pleasure creeping in his belly, threatening to push out in any second, he was still as shocked as Harry when he came untouched, the second after Harry came inside him, his hot liquid releasing being the trigger for Louis' own climax.

 

Harry bare backing him was obviously one sensation too much for his peaked body. He clung onto him tightly as Harry staggered to keep balance, one hand pressing to the shower wall so as not to topple them both. His face was still ducked in Louis; neck.

 

Louis waited for him to slip out before he unlooped his legs, sliding down. It was weird, not being able to kiss him from above anymore but Louis twisted off the water with a reluctant sigh. Making love was amazing. Why did it have to stop?

 

They dried quickly and roughly, wrapping up in each other on the fresh bed, contented hums and sighs filling the room.

 

"Was it all you hoped it would be?" Louis asked, teasing with a hint of uncertainty that Harry loved about him.

 

He squeezed his arms around Louis' shoulders.

 

"All that and more," he assured to return his cheesy phrasing.

 

Louis smiled softly at that.

 

"I mean...really, was it though?" He leaned back a little to flick eyes over Harry's face.

 

"It really was," Harry assured. "You?"

 

Louis kissed his forehead lovingly.

 

"Could keep you here forever if I'm honest..."

 

Harry grinned.

 

"I did okay then?" He checked.

 

Louis tucked his cheek into Harry's chest, his arms not able to get any tighter around his waist.

 

"You did great, Princess," Louis assured softly.

 

Harry smiled happily.

 

"You'll come stay with me tomorrow, yeah?" he checked.

 

Louis nodded.

 

"Can't wait..."

 

"I'll cook us dinner. We can look at jobs for you and places to stay..."

 

Louis smirked.

 

"Thought I was staying with you?"

 

Harry pulled back, a bemused smile crookedly worn on his lips.

 

"You needed to sort things out with Liam," Harry hedged in memory of that conversation.

 

"Things sorted," he said. "I'm all yours..."

 

"What?" Harry felt a small smile work into the corners of his mouth even as he made a disbelieving face.

 

Louis realised then that he hadn't told Harry his long-term plans- his intention to give up the hesitating in favour of less taxing work.

 

"I'm letting Liam and Max take over the transportation part of TomCat and I'm starting a new venture..." he posed.

 

Harry pulled back, giving him a quizzical look.

 

"And you're staying?" he checked.

 

Louis nodded.

 

"I mean, it might be a bit much living together if I'm here all the time so it might be better to have our own places I mean I get that the idea was I'm never around so when I am, I'd be staying with you-"

 

Harry kissed Louis on the mouth to shut him up.

 

"Stay with me," he begged. "If we argue, I'll let you get your own place," he bargained.

 

"Really?" Louis arched a brow in amusement. "You'll let me, huh?"

 

Harry dimpled.

 

"I mean...you know," he rolled his eyes.

 

"Just because I said I'm yours doesn't mean you can boss me around you know," Louis teased.

 

Harry pulled him closed again where Louis and wriggled away.

 

"I'm equally yours," Harry offered.

 

"Hm, the power," Louis mused. "What shall be my first command?"

 

Harry grinned.

 

"If you want sexual favours you don't have to command me," he offered.

 

Louis tucked his hair back, ran and hand onto his arm, cupping his bicep.

 

"Easy on the innuendo," he breathed. "I'm not sure my war-worn body can cope with your gigolo appetite..."

 

"Gigolo!" Harry gasped, mock offended. "How dare you..."

 

Louis laughed heartily as Harry pushed him back-down against the bed, straddling his thighs.

 

Louis put his hands up weakly above his head in surrender and Harry gently captured his wrists, nuzzling his ear.

 

"I'd love to ride you," he suggested, low and sexy.

 

Louis' hips jutted up off the bed in response.

 

"Don't tease me," Louis begged, breathy and light-headed at the suggestion.

 

Harry reached for the lube, pressing it into Louis' palm.

 

"It's been some time," he hedged.

 

Louis was dark-eyed with want.

 

"You're gonna be begging for it by time I'm done with you," he promised sexily as he rolled up ready for his task.

 

Harry grinned as he and Louis swapped places and he knew everything was going to be all right as long as they shared everything this way- their hopes their fears, their feeling and their dominance. It all had a delicate balance between them.

 

And he had a feeling they'd be able to keep it.

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

 

Louis filled him nicely, was a good lover and had fulfilled his promise of making Harry beg before they did this, swapped places.

 

And it was pretty epic for Harry to make love to Louis for the first time- his first in a long time and anyway, his first while being completely in love-but being made love to was mind-blowing. And Harry had the ultimate control of how they did this while he straddled Louis' lap, but Louis knew a thing or two and his hips shouldn't be underestimated.

 

Harry kind of missed kissing him, missed being body-to-body the way they were in the shower because then he could hear Louis' heartbeat against his skin, feel his breath getting stuttery when it was good for him.

 

And although it was sexy the way he could grind down and take what he needed-Harry missed their intimacy. And Louis' hands upon him tried to provide it, but Harry eased down and lay his front to Louis' as his mind began to wander. Pleasure was one thing, connection was quite another.

 

Louis tucked his fallen hair back with a worried swallow.

 

"Not good for you?" He asked.

 

Harry kissed him, strong and sweet, lips clinging to Louis' tellingly.

 

"Just need you close," he husked and Louis' lips fell open in surprise.

 

"Thought you wanted to ride me, Princess," he teased with the softest fond voice, a smile on his lips as Harry gently eased from his lap to the bed, rolling onto his front.

 

Louis ran a hand up his spine, kissed his wide shoulders as he leaned across his long, pale body.

 

"Like this?" He checked and Harry nodded.

 

Louis was only mildly bemused by Harry's choice of position, particularly as this was how he'd fucked his thighs not so long ago and it was quite a dominating position for someone who liked to be in control but Louis crawled between his thighs and kissed between his cheeks teasingly getting a groan to spill from Harry's lips.

 

"I'm ready," Harry told him, really not capable of taking any more of Louis' oral pleasures right now, he just needed Louis, inside him, making him feel loved.

 

And Louis was a master of that art, it turned out. He could go slow and steady and whisper dirty things, or things that sounded achingly sweet and one arm supported his weight while he fucked into Harry and his other hand was free to stroke Harry's skin which he did, constantly.

 

Louis being inside of him was just the perfect realisation of everything they had shared up until now and if Harry hadn't already come to terms with the fact he was in love with Louis, then this moment would have come a close second.

 

"Yours," he groaned, in the same way he liked to claim Louis as his, too. "All yours..."

 

Louis found that declaration the trigger to his release, pumping hot seed into Harry's body with staccato breaths of surprised ecstasy. He didn't move when his release ended. He kissed Harry's shoulders again and wrapped an arm across his collarbones in an almost- boyish hug. But his lips softened the embrace. If he could move he'd give Harry all the loving embraces he could take. Right now he needed air. And a brain.

 

Harry squirmed, the strange sensation of liquid inside him making him twitch. Louis was keeping his seed there, soft inside him and he wasn't used to the feeling. It had been a long, long time. Maybe too long. He picked at his red band thoughtfully as Louis rolled off him and he twisted onto his back, wrapping around Louis koala style as Louis leaned back into his body, freeing him from being pressed into the mattress.

 

"I guess I should take this off," Harry mused with a purse of his lips.

 

Louis stroked fingers through his sweaty hair soothingly.

 

"Keep it," he said and Harry smirked at him.

 

"Oh right, I just had sex twice but I still have a celibacy band..." he teased.

 

Louis arched a brow, a small smile perched on his lips.

 

"But it'll keep other guys away," he revealed his thoughts.

 

Harry giggled and cupped his cheek, planting a strong kiss to his mouth.

 

"Really, you're that jealous?" He checked.

 

He remembered Louis mentioning something before about being possessive.

 

"Might be," Louis flicked his eyes down, his lashes guarding his eyes and Harry wondered if Louis' insecurity was this right here. The same way as Harry's 'I love You' looks were for him.

 

"You know, it's not _entirely_ fool-proof," Harry offered in a slow voice.

 

Louis feigned innocence.

 

"No? I'm sure you told me that it put guys off," he recalled accurately.

 

"There was this one guy," Harry said and Louis clicked suddenly what Harry was doing here.

 

Louis relaxed into a smile, body-to-body with him and contentedly sprawled over him completely.

 

"Oh?"

 

"Real persistent," Harry nodded, telling a story of sorts. "Didn't let the red band put him off..."

 

"What a stellar guy," Louis suggested.

 

"So, there's probably more like him," Harry posed with a twinkle as Louis began kissing his jaw, small, sweet kisses laid against his barely-there stubble.

 

"I'm sure he was a one-off," Louis hummed, lips taking a change of direction onto Harry's neck.

 

"Just think, I've settled for the first guy who bothered to wait and I could have my pick of the bunch," Harry joked, sucking in air as Louis kneed his thighs apart to lay there between them, rubbing their dicks together.

 

"Settled, huh?" Louis asked, a little bitterness to his tone but that didn't stop him sucking at Harry's collarbones.

 

"I mean, imagine who else could be out there waiting..." Harry shifted his legs, twisting suddenly to put a knee to the bed and force Louis beneath him.

 

Louis blinked up at him in confused surrender.

 

"Who put you in charge?" Louis wondered.

 

Harry grinned, growled and kissed him, wrapping his arms around his waist as he let his weight bear down against Louis' smaller body, showing him exactly how he felt in actions not words since he was still talking about looking elsewhere.

 

"You want somebody else?" Louis asked, not nervously Harry was glad to note. More with a confidence of a man in love who had that love reciprocated.

 

"Well there's just one small problem," Harry nuzzled his nose, stole a kiss from his lips, ground into him a little with a satisfied sigh.

 

"Small?" Louis arched a brow and Harry laughed, deep and uproariously, his head thrown back.

 

"Jesus, no way," he assured, falling out of character momentarily. He was sure to kiss Louis sweetly for the next moment or two until his mind recalled his little ruse.

 

"So what's this small problem, Princess?" Louis asked breathlessly, affected by Harry and not afraid to show it.

 

Harry pushed his hand down into the curve of Louis' spine that raised off the bed, then lower, groping his ass-cheek blatantly, pressing two fingertips into the crack to rest at his hole. Louis gasped, eyes fluttering wide open as his hips rolled up, silently asking for more.

 

"The problem is that I fell in love," Harry shared smoothly, a smirk playing at his lips as he casually found lube and applied it to his fingers, awkwardly pushing them into Louis as he spoke.

 

"Fuck!" Louis pushed down onto his digits. "Fuck you, Harry Styles," he glittered, annoyed at how badly he needed this touch.

 

Harry pumped his fingers in and out regardless of Louis' protests.

 

"I fell in love so it doesn't really matter who else is out there because I don't fucking care," he narrated, slipping into swearing when he slid his erection up Louis' thigh.

 

Louis was mindless, breathless too as he panted out his next words.

 

"I'll be yours forever, okay?" He offered and it probably didn't make sense in Harry's little pretend-world, probably wasn't a sensible come-back at all but he couldn't even think straight right now, hoping Harry would end his pleasurable pain really, really soon by filling him up. "I'll be yours, always," he breathed out, softening with submission as Harry slipped his fingers out and Louis knew he was waiting to replace them with his body.

 

He opened his shrewd blue-grey eyes and blinked, not even caring how whipped he was for this man, how he'd given up everything to be with him.

 

Harry shuffled up the bed so that the backs of Louis' thighs were propped on the front of his, perfectly position where his head rubbed his hole. He sank in and paused at Louis' sudden blissful smile, his sigh of relief.

 

He could watch that moment over and over in his mind and never get tired of it.

 

"I'll be yours, too," he promised, making love to Louis with sweetness aching his tense muscles and so many emotions filling up his chest.

 

He flung himself away once he came all over Louis' belly, leaving the other man peering down at the mess he left there.

 

"Always so much, Harold," Louis chided breathily, grabbing his strewn t-shirt to mop it up.

 

Louis smirked as he rolled over to study him, head propped in hand, elbow propped on the bed.

 

Harry was star-fished, gazing at the ceiling.

 

"Are you freaking out again?" Louis wondered.

 

Harry pressed his lips together and they were tingly and hot from the contact they'd had with Louis', with Louis' skin too.

 

"Maybe a bit..."

 

"Why?" Louis wondered, genuinely curious to hear Harry's thoughts.

 

He didn't like not being able to hold him-particularly considering they'd just made love but he knew to give Harry some space for a moment.

 

"Because this is-this is so amazing and...and what if you don't like me anymore?" Harry posed with a pout.

 

"So you're scared I'll leave?" Louis posed, surprised to hear this.

 

Harry pursed his lips, sighed out and curled over onto his side to mirror Louis' position.

 

"Sometimes I can't help it...because when you've had somebody trick you into loving them and then you find out they were never yours to begin with it kind of makes it hard to not be scared it'll happen again, you know?" He offered.

 

Louis blinked.

 

"Harry. Nobody else will want this scar-ridden little body of mine. I can pretty much assure you that you have me in the bag, okay?"

 

"Shut up, you're amazing," Harry cast back quickly. "Don't say that..."

 

Louis shrugged.

 

"I figured if I said I love you and I want to be with you forever no matter what you might find it a bit overwhelming..."

 

Harry blinked.

 

"How can you possibly say that? No matter what? What if we live together and it's too soon and we find out things about each other we _hate_..."

 

Louis reached out to twirl some of Harry's hair around his fingers.

 

"Can't say I'm too keen on this mane, Princess.." he teased.

 

Harry rolled his eyes.

 

"What if I'm messy? Or you're noisy? Or one of us wants sex all the time and the other one doesn't?" Harry threw his worries out in the open.

 

"Well look, I'm messy _and_ noisy so we can cross that one off for a start," Louis mused. "And really, I waited this long to be with you so if you don't feel like it much then I can cope with that," he lifted a shoulder casually.

 

Harry stared at him, long and hard.

 

"You're just thinking of things to argue with me. You're not even considering what it will be like if we-" He paused, his voice cutting off.

 

"If we what?" Louis asked, still stroking calming fingers through Harry's hair.

 

"If we end up hating each other and split up..."

 

Louis shook his head, confident in his denial of that scenario.

 

"Not gonna happen..."

 

"It might," Harry posed.

 

"Not gonna happen because you've got me wrapped round your finger, Princess." Louis assured.

 

"I don't want to wrap you around my finger I want you to be independent and have your own say in this," Harry huffed.

 

Louis licked his lips.

 

"We'll leave the living together thing a bit longer, yeah? I'll get my own place for now and we'll work out the rest. At least let me date you, hm?" He requested, so rationally that Harry could hit him for being so perfect.

 

Harry felt torn. Half of him was mortified that Louis was actually considering not living with him because of his fears, but the other half found the idea gave him the comfort he needed to not feel afraid anymore.

 

"Of course," Harry replied distractedly, not sure why his guts were twisting inside his torso. It was like he wanted to marry Louis and push him away all in the same moment.

 

"Do I get my cuddle then?" Louis enquired simply, opening his arms and lifting them off the bed.

 

Harry wriggled closer, letting himself be held as he loosely circled his own arms around Louis' smaller body. And he had to curl a bit, kind of scrunch his body up but he laid his cheek near Louis' chest in the crux by his armpit and pressed close.

 

"See, that's what I need," Louis hummed, his lips settling into a blissful smile. "Arm full of Haz," he added teasingly.

 

Harry blinked, his lashes brushing Louis' chest but his lips remained still. He felt really tired suddenly, as though his body was weighted down and his eyelids injected with lead.

 

"Go to sleep, Princess," Louis kissed his curls fondly. "I'll be here when you wake up..."

 

Harry hummed in agreement, eyes sliding shut.

 

//

 

They didn't have long to sleep considering most of the night was given over to carnal pleasures and Louis had to book out by ten.

 

Harry was managing his charity with his I-phone as they took a cab back to Harry's place to have a late breakfast since Harry was adamant he cook for Louis rather than having breakfast at the hotel.

 

Louis settled his luggage in Harry's room and looked around the wide open space- cream and olive- and smiled a little at the thought of being here tonight, wrapped up with Harry in this bed.

 

"So what are we doing today?" Louis asked loudly, clapping his hands together and rubbing them as he came back through to the kitchen.

 

Harry looked up from the skillet he was cooking breakfast in-pancakes by the looks of things. Louis hooked his chin over Harry's shoulder and squeezed gentle hands into his sides as he peeked.

 

"Thought I could show you the sights," Harry suggested. "Make sure this is a place you actually want to live before you make a big move..."

 

Louis smirked.

 

"You seem to forget, Harold, that anywhere can be home to me. I'm a wanderer that's for sure..."

 

He stepped away as Harry got active putting his first pancake to one side to keep warm, spilling batter to make a second while Louis leaned back on the counter.

 

"Do you think-" Harry paused, swallowed and frowned a little before he carried on. "Will you like it, being tied down?"

 

Louis shrugged.

 

"It's not tied down, not really..."

 

"But you're so used to being on the go..." Harry countered.

 

Louis nodded, a little tiredness revealed in the lines of his eyes.

 

"I think it might be good for me to be really honest," he mused.

 

"But won't you get bored?" Harry argued.

 

"I'm starting a whole new business," Louis posed. "I'm sure I'll need to travel a bit for that but-well...it'll actually be a nice kind of different being in one place."

 

"And not getting hurt," Harry added pointedly.

 

Louis pressed his lips together, knowing how each of his scars hurt Harry almost as much as the injuries had hurt him. He couldn't protect Harry from that and he didn't need to feel bad, he knew that Harry was just expressing his caring nature. It was just weird, still, to have somebody that did care. Other than Liam and Sophia.

 

Louis moved to cuddle back into him, front to Harry's back where he pressed his cheek. He considered he was way too soppy, far too soft. He wondered if Harry liked it.

 

"I'll keep you safe," he said to Harry and that was Louis' biggest priority, really. Keeping Harry safe.

 

Harry hummed, avoiding arguing his case about having equal rights in that role since he knew Louis liked to feel he dominated that particular sentiment. And anyway, his breakfast was ready.

 

"Are you making tea?" Harry asked lightly, fetching syrup and whipped cream to put on the table.

 

Louis went about making tea in the short moments it took Harry to serve and soon they were enjoying their food with big grins and grumbling tummies being satisfied.

 

//

 

"Can I like, marry you?" Louis asked as they walked hand in hand, arms swinging.

 

Harry whipped his head around and regarded him with a puzzled expression.

 

"What?"

 

"Look, you cook like a demon and I'm not sure I like the idea somebody else could be a recipient of that skill..." Louis posed.

 

Harry's face relaxed into a knowing smile.

 

"I see."

 

Louis smirked up at him, leaning into his side.

 

"You're making dinner, too right?"

 

Harry slipped his arm around Louis' shoulders to bring him close, kissing into his hair which was growing back after Jess's cut.

 

"I am. Any requests?" Harry enquired amusedly of Louis' love of his cooking.

 

"No, I'll eat anything," Louis quickly assured, not wanting to be commanding when someone was so generously offering to make him food. Good food at that.

 

They were touring the town, Harry had shown him the NASCAR racetrack which Louis had almost chained himself to until summer when the racing began, the museums, the quaint buildings which gave the town its character. He promised to take him to the San Joaquin Valley when they had time to hike and camp and Louis had imagined a camping trip with a salacious smile on his face that Harry had gracefully ignored.

 

They were skipping lunch since they had eaten late so Harry was heading to Dewar's for ice-cream, something he was sure Louis would like.

 

"What about ice-cream," Harry posed as they came to the front of the shop.

 

Louis paused, sliding both his arms around Harry's middle and cupping a hand around his neck to tug him down for a kiss. Harry noted how Louis tended to do that rather than go on tip-toe to reach. It was almost sexy, the way he made Harry come to him. It was definitely sinful the way he kissed.

 

Harry was just wrapping him close and tight into his body to deepen the kiss when an obnoxious voice cut through their enjoyable embrace.

 

"Hey! What the hell is this?" Niall yelled across the sidewalk.

 

Harry lifted his head and slid his friend a narrowed-gaze.

 

"Kissing, Ni, look it up," He mused. He hadn't actually let Louis go yet and he felt the other man pressing gentle hands to his arms to free him. He stood solid.

 

"Stop sharing saliva and get inside," Niall jerked his head toward the shop. "The whole bloody shop can see you making out," he added with a smirk.

 

Harry felt a blush cross his cheeks as Niall saluted Louis who sheepishly saluted back.

 

"Niall," he nodded, still trapped in the confines of Harry's arms.

 

He looked up and Harry appeared to be in deep thought as to whether he actually wanted to let Louis go or not.

 

"Come on, babe," Louis rubbed his arm gently, his voice soft.

 

"Hm, no not done yet," Harry said and Louis opened his mouth in surprise or to say something but it didn't really matter because Harry was kissing him again and he'd invited the action unknowingly.

 

He made a minor noise of protest but quickly melted into his body, locking his arms around Harry's neck this time in an attempt to reach -if not to lead this kiss. He heard Niall mutter a 'You're sick' and the switch of the door to the ice-cream place signalling he'd gone back inside which left Louis with only Harry. Harry and his debilitating kisses.

 

When Harry was 'done', he leaned back, tucked his hair behind his ear and stepped away, grasping Louis' hand in his.

 

"Suppose we should go in," he said and Louis had no words. He followed helplessly.

 

//

 

"Look at you two," Niall grinned at the two men who slid into a booth seat opposite him, both ruddy cheeked and avoiding eye contact.

 

Harry arched a brow.

 

"What's to look at?" He wondered.

 

Niall smirked, flicking a look to Louis. Although he accepted the new man in Harry's life, he didn't know how honest he could be around him. He was so used to his and Harry's easy friendship. Bringing a boyfriend into the mix made things a bit different.

 

Louis lifted his brows in interest as to hear Niall's view.

 

"Sickening is what it is," he decided on, watching Louis melt into a crinkle-eyed smile as he tucked into his plate of ice-cream.

 

Harry had a similarly disgusting grin on his face as Niall looked back across the table.

 

"It's just love," Harry said quietly, a little in defence.

 

Niall was surprised at the inclusion of the 'L' word, but found it was true when he looked back at his best friend. Harry was completely smitten. And he knew Louis was too, this was something he had picked up on long ago.

 

"So, what you up to?" He wondered.

 

"Official tour," Louis said, licking his spoon obscenely, Niall was sure for Harry's benefit. "Harry's cooking me dinner tonight," he added.

 

Niall smiled then, sharing a knowing look with his friend.

 

"He is, huh?"

 

Louis nodded, then paused.

 

"Why...what don't I know?"

 

Niall shrugged.

 

"Just Harry's known to be a bit of a chef," he offered.

 

"I know, he made me breakfast," Louis shared.

 

"Explains the making out," Niall muttered under his breath.

 

Louis looked between the two men with a bemused expression.

 

"Does one of you want to explain?" He wondered.

 

"Nope," Niall sat back, rubbing his full belly.

 

Harry turned toward Louis with an eye-roll.

 

"He thinks I trap men with my cooking..." he shared.

 

"He does!" Niall quickly intervened then, since Harry had shared the 'secret'.

 

Louis blinked, confused.

 

"Thought there hadn't been that many men..." he ventured quietly.

 

"No, no, no," Niall quickly shook his head to deny that notion.

 

"But it's how he trapped his last boyfriend and me for that matter- as his best friend-" he added when Louis looked even more confused. "And well, I think he's probably had a few dinner parties to persuade people to support his charity," he added knowingly.

 

Harry blushed hotly, mouth opening in mock denial.

 

"I would never!" he gasped.

 

Niall tilted his head.

 

"Oh right, so John Keller just decided to throw a hundred grand at your cause for no reason?" Niall lifted his brows.

 

Harry ducked his head, his fringe falling forward.

 

"Not my fault he liked my beef Wellington..." he mumbled.

 

And Louis laughed, big and loud in the room.

 

"Oh my god!" He grinned delightedly. "My boyfriend is a black-mailer!"

 

"Louis, you should watch out for him," Niall warned teasingly. "He'll have you proposing before the night is out..."

 

Louis gave Niall a fond grin, pressing his lips together as if to hold in a secret.

 

"Nah, I can resist his charms..." he lied.

 

Niall bellowed out his own laughter at Louis' claim while Harry lifted his hands in mock exasperation.

 

"Excuse me, I am still sat here, you know!" he teased.

 

"What you cooking?" Niall asked him then.

 

Harry tucked a smile into the corners of his lips. He cupped a hand over the side of his mouth facing Louis and whispered 'Mozzarella chicken' across the table. Niall's eyes lit up with the knowledge and he shook his head at Louis consolingly.

 

"Bro, you've got no chance. Don't even bother with clothes," he added crudely and Harry whacked him for that remark.

 

"Hey," he protested softly.

 

Louis smiled at them, wondering if Harry's cooking was really so well-renowned that people got naked for him. It wouldn't surprise him. He sat back as Niall and Harry segued into a familiar banter, happy to soak up the atmosphere with his new friend. Harry glanced at him every so often, squeezed his thigh or grasped his hand in his, tried to pull him into the conversation but Louis was happy to let their friendship was over him while he listened.

 

Harry was right, this was going to be weird for him, living a completely different life with no danger, no adrenaline pushing through his veins and just the quiet hum of town life to keep him in rhythm but it was also a welcome change. And Harry might have struck upon something by wondering how long Louis would be able to last in this new, quiet existence but he wanted to try. He wanted to try really hard.

 

"I need to go to the shop before we go home," Harry said and it took Louis a minute to snap out of his daze to focus.

 

"Where's Niall?" Louis asked, noticing the empty seat opposite Harry.

 

"He had to go- he's in the middle of designing his latest range. He said bye," Harry added with an amused smirk.

 

Louis o'd his mouth.

 

"Did I ignore him?"

 

Harry grinned with a nod.

 

"He was fine about it, he blamed me for spacing you out..."

 

Louis smiled back slowly.

 

"Well, he's probably right."

 

"Ready?" Harry asked, sliding up and offering Louis his hand.

 

Louis took it. He was more than ready.

 

//

 

It was always weird having a 'romantic dinner' at home. Louis wasn't sure what to wear to head downstairs to see what Harry was making for him- this so called strip-worthy meal. It almost made him wonder if he should bother with clothes or just take Niall's advice and go in his boxers.

 

For the sake of propriety- and respect for Harry- he put on his black skinnies and one of Harry's t-shirts he stole from the bed. It was black and comfy and just that bit too big that it slipped down to reveal his collarbones. He styled his hair to one side in a messy wave; leaving his small feet bare as he carefully snuck across the landing to poke his head into the open living area.

 

Harry had his back to him, was busy prepping food and singing along to the radio with a surprisingly rocky voice, all husk and sex. He was wearing a grey tee and black jeans not dissimilar to Louis' except Harry's fell above his ankles where Louis had to roll them up. He had an apron on, the strings of which Louis could make out at his neck and waist.

 

He mooched over to the living room window, lips pursing in thought.

 

It might have been nice to live here, to share this space, to get to hear Harry singing and watch him at work. Louis figured he'd take a cooking course to try and return the favour so his boyfriend wasn't always landed with that job. It would be nice to surprise him sometimes, maybe on his birthday or their anniversary or-

 

Louis frowned. When was their anniversary? Had they actually made this official apart from deciding 'boyfriends' was the right word to describe their status? Was it when Louis gave Harry his necklace or before that, when he couldn't let him go?

 

"Hey," Harry's soft call was coupled with the lowering of the radio volume. "Didn't hear you come in..."

 

"Stealth attack," Louis threw back, turning to join Harry in the kitchen.

 

Harry was sliding a tray into to oven and tilted a lid on the bubbling saucepan on the stove before he also turned to greet Louis. And then he was blinking, slowly, eyes hooded as they travelled down him and his olive irises were taken over with dilated pupils.

 

"Is that mine?" Harry asked, voice low and raspy.

 

And Louis knew exactly what he was referring to, didn't pretend not to.

 

"Yeah, it was on the bed, I hope that's o-"

 

"I wore it today," Harry added, words still short and breathy.

 

Louis lifted his brows.

 

"It smelt okay..." he excused.

 

He of course, knew full well Harry had worn the garment earlier in the day. It was half of his reason for choosing it. He watched Harry swallow.

 

"You look amazing." He said and it was the same stunned reaction he'd had since turning around.

 

Louis smiled, stepped forward and slipped his arms around Harry's waist, reaching up to kiss his cheek.

 

"Hi," he greeted teasingly.

 

Harry breathed, just breathed.

 

"You look gorgeous, too," Louis added hopefully, pressing his lips together and raising his brows.

 

Harry's hand lifted and the backs of his fingers trailed longingly across Louis' collarbones, making Louis shiver.

 

"You just had to, didn't you?" Harry murmured, leaning down to kiss at Louis' jaw, by his neck, then lower, making a path to his exposed collar, sucking there a little when his lips reached.

 

"H-Haz," Louis stuttered, gasping in air as he clutched at his sides for balance.

 

"Wanna mark you," Harry hoarsed, scraping his teeth experimentally against the protruding delicate bump of Louis' bones.

 

Louis could only moan out as Harry kissed and sucked simultaneously, licking a broad stripe over his work when he was done. Louis was a quivering wreck but he didn't mind as Harry straightened up, his long dark fringe dragging in Louis' and messing both their hair before Harry then reached for a kiss, cupping the back of Louis' head so gently he thought he might actually faint.

 

It was like Harry was cradling him, like he was precious and Louis felt all too much in that moment, hoped Harry felt it too. And Harry seemed to because he was shifting from one foot to another to fully encompass Louis in his free arm as gently as he could.

 

It was Harry who pulled away when the boiling pan on the stove spilled over, creating a hiss that tugged them apart.

 

"Oops," he murmured, his voice dragged from his throat with rough abandon. "Guess I skipped the dinner part for the kiss goodnight..."

 

Louis let Harry rescue his dinner and made his way dazedly to a seat.

 

"I won't hold it against you," he promised.

 

Harry turned and gave him a smirk.

 

"Damn..."

 

Louis arched a brow, smiling back wolfishly. He would hold his entire being against Harry forever if he so desired. But he really needed to work on being less whipped.

 

Harry went about mashing the boiled potatoes, testing his chicken before dishing it up, laying the plate in front of Louis' expectant face.

 

"Parma wrapped mozzarella chicken with my home-made mash," Harry introduced.

 

Louis flicked a look from his perfect meal to his perfect boyfriend. He tried not to stare but it was difficult considering Harry's hair was long enough to curl sexily into his neck.

 

"This is unbelievable," Louis appreciated. "Thank you," he added.

 

"I was expecting flowers and chocolates..." Harry pursed his lips amusedly.

 

Louis' eyes twinkled.

 

"I have something better. But after," he added.

 

And Harry remembered Louis going off on his own on their way back from Dewar's; smiling secretively when they re-met outside the grocery store Harry shopped at for dinner ingredients but Louis wouldn't be drawn on what he'd been off purchasing. So Harry had dropped it. But Louis' little smirk was back and Harry wanted to kiss it right off his face.

 

"I made chocolate pudding for dessert," Harry offered casually while they consumed his main course.

 

"Trying to fatten me up?" Louis teased, sipping the beer Harry had put out for him.

 

Harry grinned.

 

"Yup..."

 

"If I'd known you were a feeder I might have thought twice," Louis mused.

 

"So I'm done?" Harry wondered.

 

Louis regarded him with sparkly eyes.

 

"I like my svelte shape, I can't possibly date a man who wants to make me fat..."

 

Harry giggled, snorting a little which only made Louis love him more.

 

"I'll do fat-free next time, I promise," he offered among breathless laughter.

 

"Well, Niall was right," Louis considered as the next mouthful of delicious chicken accosted his tongue.

 

Harry smiled at him.

 

"Yeah?"

 

Louis nodded, taken by his dimples.

 

"I would definitely get naked for your food," he announced.

 

Harry blushed a little, his smile turning dirty.

 

"Maybe later?" He suggested.

 

Louis agreed with that sentiment, actually looking forward to the dessert Harry had made. When Harry rose to take their empty plates to the sink he followed, gently shunting Harry out of the way to wash up so he could concentrate on his dessert.

 

They ate the best chocolate pudding on the sofa curled up. Once Harry had put his empty bowl down, Louis crawled into his lap to kiss him, straddling his thighs. Harry had to catch him; slightly unexpectant of Louis' amour.

 

It didn't take long for Louis to start undressing him, coaxing Harry's legs up onto to sofa so he was laid out and Louis could get between his thighs with kisses and sucks to his muscled limbs, his lips trailing up his torso and chest, tongue flicking across peaked nipples that he fingered when he got distracted again, kissing his neck and his mouth. When Louis took his underwear off-slow and sexy- Harry absolutely knew what his aim was here.

 

Louis fisted around him, lazily stroking as their eyes met as if to tell him silently how he planned to say thank you for this meal. And Louis' lips were magical- just the best really. It was kind of strange being with someone who so skilfully knew what they were doing but also emphatically vocalised their desire. Louis was a demonic combination of intense pleasure-making and loud, loud, _loud_. Even when he wasn't the one in receipt of that pleasure, he was still moaning filthily around Harry's arousal, taking him deep.

 

It didn't take much for Harry to peak, just the promise of Louis' hands around his thighs claimingly, his mouth stretching wide, his body with its own rhythm to rub his need against Harry's leg. Louis swallowed down his seed, panting as he lifted his head.

 

"You're amazing," Louis regarded as he lay above Harry, catching air.

 

Harry grinned at him, slipping his hands under Louis' underwear band to fully palm his backside.

 

"Do I get to return the favour?" He wondered.

 

Louis shook his head.

 

"I have something," he reminded.

 

Harry frowned at being denied the opportunity to pleasure Louis in the way he'd been pleasured. But he also really wanted to know what Louis had bought him today.

 

"Really?" Harry pouted. "I can't...first?"

 

Louis brushed his lips against Harry's ear.

 

"I planned to make love to you after...if that's okay?" Louis asked.

 

And Harry was reminded just how sexy and strong his boyfriend was, just how sweet. He groaned weakly in agreement to that idea.

 

Louis was shuffling around, picking up their discarded clothes in search of his jeans, when he found them he smiled triumphantly and dug into the pocket, pulling out a small box. It was obviously a ring box but Harry still paused, breath caught in lungs in wondering what was in there.

 

Louis leaned back on the sofa, on his knees, bum rested to calves as he took a deep breath. Harry let his eyes glide over his completely naked form, resting on his small hands which were shaking as they clutched the jewellery cube in them.

 

"It's not a proposal," Louis said with a smirk. "So uh...don't get your hopes up or anything..."

 

Harry smiled too, tears breaking the edges of his eyes at Louis' utter sweetness.

 

"That's okay," he assured breathily, cupping both of his hands over Louis' to stop their tremor.

 

Louis snapped his eyes to his.

 

"But this is my way of promising that I'll do everything I can to keep us," he swore.

 

Harry was stunned to be honest. He completely hadn't expected this. And he didn't have to think, really, because Louis was still talking.

 

"I know I have to go back for a few days and it's going to take a bit of time before I'm truly settled here and it's going to be an adjustment, I get that, but-"

 

Harry put a finger up to press into Louis' lips.

 

"Show me," he said only, shuffling up onto his elbows and curling his long legs from the sides of the sofa to cross under him.

 

Louis lifted the lid off the hinged box to reveal a thick silver band with a rectangular platform which housed a turquoise gemstone.

 

It was big and obvious but not showy. Harry stared at it, his breath trapped in his throat.

 

"That's for me?" He asked, awed.

 

Louis let out a nervous breath of laughter.

 

"I hope so, Haz, otherwise I've completely mis-read this..."

 

Harry looked at him.

 

"Will you put it on for me?"

 

Louis blinked.

 

"Don't you want to see which finger you like the feel of it on?"

 

Harry shook his head, his curls tumbling a little.

 

"Want you to pick," he said.

 

And Louis chose his pointer finger on his left hand, sliding it next to the silver band already on his middle finger that mirrored the one on his other hand.

 

"Is that okay?" Louis asked hesitantly, running his thumb-pad over the stone as Harry's hand sat in his.

 

Harry leaned forward against his crossed legs and kissed him, cupping his neck to secure his position. Louis smiled into it, relief flooding his veins.

 

"I love you," Harry said, slow and heavy.

 

"I love you, too," Louis breathed. "Let's go to bed?" He suggested thereafter.

 

Harry grinned and uncrossed his legs, ready to stand.

 

Louis reached for his hand and led the way; just how Harry liked.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

 

Louis was exquisite.

 

Harry found himself awake first, Louis asleep on his chest tucked under his chin, But when he tilted his head to the side he could appreciate his high cheekbones, his tan, wide forehead, the way his thick, lush lashes rested so lightly against his breath-taking cheeks.

 

Those cheeks were faintly flushed, reminding Harry of their night, of how Louis had made love to him so beautifully. And the rough, brash guy who'd he'd met in the car was slowly fading away into this lovable, tender man who cherished him utterly.

 

Harry didn't mind the change but he did worry about Louis needing the excitement his old job gave him and would no longer have.

 

He fingered his brand-new ring in reminder of Louis' promise.

 

_This is my way of promising that I'll do everything I can to keep us_

 

Harry wanted to keep Louis, too, right here against his chest where their heartbeats synchronised and their skin was every inch pressing together. Where he could tighten his arms and protect Louis from the world. Where he could whisper his secrets and his promises into his ear and kiss away the faded pain of his scars. Louis was literally his world. And he had no idea what to do to reciprocate the necklace and the ring, no idea whatsoever.

 

He'd ask Liam when he had the chance but right now, Louis was fidgeting in his sleep, lips muttering something unintelligible and cheek rubbing into his skin.

 

Harry hummed, heaved him closer and curled his legs around Louis', a bit like a ballerina.

 

When Louis began to frown, his words becoming louder, more forceful, Harry knew he was having a bad dream. He kissed Louis' forehead and tried wake him up gently as he began to struggle.

 

"No...no...you won't get me..." Louis mumbled, fighting against Harry's hold on him.

 

Harry had no choice but to lay Louis on his back while he waited by his side.

 

"Louis...it's okay, it's Harry...you're in my room, it's safe..."

 

Louis tossed his head side to side, teeth baring as some vicious memory accosted him in his sleep and it was all Harry could do not to violently shake him awake only he knew not to do that, he'd read it somewhere that it was best to let the person awake from their nightmare naturally although right now Harry would argue that theory to the death.

 

"Argh!" Louis' arms tensed and pushed out at nothing. "Not gonna get me..."

 

"Shh...Lou, it's okay," Harry stroked his hair, wincing as Louis kicked out with bare feet and caught his shin. "Wake up, Lou..."

 

Louis stilled, his face sweaty now and paling considerably as new images overtook his mind. Harry felt helpless, grasping his arms to pin him down so he didn't hurt himself when the next wave hit.

 

"No...please...not Harry...please...don't hurt him..."

 

Harry was startled at what was causing Louis his aggravated sleep, false images of himself being used to threaten Louis. He didn't like that Louis was dreaming about this, that his dream was controlling his mind when it was obviously something eh feared so much.

 

"Louis," Harry roared, launching up to his knees to straddle him, pinning down his wrists as Louis writhed agitatedly on the bed. "Louis! Wake up!" Harry snapped and it seemed to work because Louis' eyes flew open.

 

His lashes were damp with unshed tears and his eyes were bloodshot, flitting around wildly as he still tried to fight the constraints Harry's hands placed on him.

 

"Louis, it's okay," Harry quickly soothed, letting go to cup his cheek, his thumb brushing away the wet pooled under his eye. "It's me, okay? It's just me..."

 

Louis gasped in air -two, three times while he looked about, trying to make sense of the crazy happenings in his mind and when his vision settled on pale naked skin and soothing green eyes, he hefted out a breath of relief.

 

"Oh god, oh god," he panted.

 

"Shh, it's okay," Harry soothed, leaning down to murmur in his ear.

 

Louis took that opportunity to hug him tightly; nose pressed into his neck.

 

"Don't leave me," he gasped, desperately.

 

Harry was taken back to the time Louis was shot and needed him, to the first time he felt Louis truly let his guard down even if it was aided by meds. He liked being the guy that got to see this Louis, liked being the guy that got to protect him from his nightmares and vulnerability.

 

"I'm here," Harry promised huskily.

 

Louis sniffled and Harry passed him tissues to blow his nose, curling to one side to spoon Louis as he came back to reality.

 

"How often do you have them?" Harry wondered, stroking Louis' hair back with gentle fingers.

 

Louis swallowed.

 

"Not much."

 

"You haven't had any since we've got back..." he ventured.

 

Louis cleared his throat.

 

"Not with you," he admitted.

 

Maybe it was the ring incident which had made his anxiety trip over into his dreams, Louis wasn't quite sure but he had hoped to save Harry from his embarrassing nightmares.

 

"They'll go now you're home," Harry kissed his hair and-

 

"I mean," he corrected quickly. "Now you're not...you know...facing those crones all the time and..." He trailed off.

 

Louis sighed, hugging Harry's arms around him and leaning back into his body.

 

"I know..." he agreed easily since he was still tired and needing the comforting warmth of Harry's embrace.

 

Harry kissed into his hair again, laying back down and relaxing his body as Louis settled, turning back over to fit into him.

 

"What time is it?" He whispered in confusion.

 

"It's early," Harry promised, even though the clock read seven. "Go back to sleep..."

 

Louis didn't argue.

 

//

 

Louis drove back late in the afternoon since Harry was decidedly clingy when they finally woke up.

 

He'd dressed into sweats and a tee and a beanie and Harry hadn't stopped holding him. Louis decided that while he was away from Harry he was growing some balls back in the hope of not being whipped forever.

 

He'd left his clothes at Harry's house, coming back to pack up some more stuff for his next trip which would be spent sight-seeing and he was only home an hour before Liam was knocking on his room door, checking up on him.

 

"Lou, you back?" He called. "Or do I have giant mice?"

 

Louis pulled open his door and gave Liam a bear hug, a tight fond one with crinkled grins and wet eyes.

 

"I missed you, Payno!" he admitted.

 

Liam gave a brow-arch and sheepish smile.

 

"You sure you want to move out?" Liam asked. "We honestly don't mind having you..."

 

Louis hadn't maybe thought about leaving his best friend behind. While he was on the road he got to have Liam in his ear two or three times a day. Now he wouldn't have that or his hugs. Or Sophia's lovely cooking and unconditional love. He was going to miss them both more than he'd realised and he promptly burst into tears.

 

"Oh hey," Liam led Louis to the sofa where Sophia took over hugging him while Liam made them tea.

 

"What's up, Lou?" Sophia asked gently as she rubbed his back.

 

"I'm going to miss this," he admitted with teary eyes.

 

Sophia grinned pulling him in.

 

"We'll miss you too, little Louis," she shared. "But you've got an exciting change ahead and Harry needs you," she added.

 

The mention of Harry's name soothed Louis' pain instantly. As much as he would miss his friends, he missed Harry more. And Harry not being near him was an unthinkable thought.

 

"You're right," he nodded as she comforted him.

 

Liam laid down two mugs and went back for the third.

 

"So is everything good with you and the Haz?" Liam asked.

 

Louis smiled at his fond nickname for his boyfriend.

 

"I gave him a ring," he admitted.

 

Liam grinned.

 

"Awesome, great job, Lou..."

 

Louis smiled tightly.

 

"Leaving everything I know behind is going to be really tough."

 

Liam flicked Sophia a look.

 

"But like Soph said, you get something better," he bolstered.

 

"And we'll be here if you need us," she added quickly.

 

Louis took a shaky breath.

 

"Onwards and upwards," he quoted.

 

"Exactly," Liam patted his back.

 

//

 

He was home for a few days, sneaking calls to Harry in his lunch break and longer calls at night where they both lounged back on their respective sofa's eating and talking at the same time, watching the same programme on TV or just enjoying the sound of each other's voice.

 

Liam would roll his eyes if he found Louis there attached to his landline since Louis wouldn't usually take over the living space of Liam's house when he was staying. But he would usually sit beside him and curl Sophia under his arm until Louis' conversation became giggly and low-toned and then Louis would end the call and disappear to his room with lewd catcalls from his friend.

 

He and Harry didn't have phone-sex those two nights. Louis still felt there were some things his boyfriend was worth more than- and a quick hand-job was one of them. He would make it up to him when they saw each other again.

 

It was on the third day he was home that he made arrangements to view a slew of apartments back in Bakersfield the following day. It was also the day Liam came home with a heavy sigh and run of his hand through his hair.

 

"What's wrong?" Louis sat up on the sofa right away, recognising his stressed look.

 

Liam sat down with heavy plop.

 

"We have a job but Max isn't sure. He hasn't got the stealth skills you had," he added.

 

"What's the job?" Louis leaned forward, elbows to knees.

 

"He's got to break into the Lebanese Art Gallery and swipe a fake so they can bring the real one in," he explained.

 

"They want to put the fake on the run so that the original isn't even suspected in transit," Louis nodded, thumbs to lips. "Good plan..."

 

"Max doesn't think he can sneak in and out...he thinks he's gonna set off the alarms." Liam sighed.

 

"Isn't that the point?" Louis frowned.

 

"No, they want to break the story in the media the next day when he's on the road. Send the gangs after him."

 

"Hm," Louis frowned. "But he's done this before," he pointed out.

 

Liam shrugged.

 

"Maybe he's getting cold feet...hey, you can't like...tutor him can you? Like be a mentor?"

 

Louis' brows rose. He hadn't even thought about Max needing training. He'd just assumed he'd hit the ground running. And truth be told, he also hadn't thought about going back to work-in any capacity.

 

"I-I don't know," he breathed out, confused.

 

"I mean, we can find someone else," Liam quickly offered an alternative. "We can interview and-"

 

"I didn't think," Louis cut him off. "I just thought..."

 

Liam cupped his shoulder.

 

"Louis, I'm not expecting you to do anything you don't want to, okay? I know this mission with Harry has changed everything," he added.

 

"It has," Louis nodded, strangely bemused.

 

"But," Liam swallowed. "Will you think about it? Maybe this one last time you could go with him and show him how it's done and he'll be okay for next time..."

 

Louis stared at Liam, thumbs still pressed to his lower lip.

 

"I have to talk to Harry first," he said.

 

And Liam nodded, a smile flicking onto his lips.

 

"I thought you'd say that..."

 

"It hurts him, Li," Louis added a little tersely. "He doesn't like thinking about me out there getting hurt."

 

"I know," Liam rubbed his knee as he reached over. "Which is why it's up to you whether you do this."

 

"I might have to close TomCat if not," he pressed his lips together.

 

"No," Liam denied quickly. "We have other options. We can hire another professional to teach him..."

 

Louis didn't like the idea of involving anyone else in his business but he might not have the choice.

 

He waited until he knew Harry was home before calling him, laying on his bed with a hitched breath of guilt.

 

"Hey boyfriend," Harry greeted with his usual warm greeting.

 

"Hello, Princess," Louis smirked.

 

"How's things?" Harry enquired lightly.

 

Louis could almost hear him leaning back, curling into the couch and tucking his hair behind his ear.

 

"I'm coming home tomorrow," Louis announced happily.

 

Harry gasped.

 

"You are?"

 

"Yep...six viewings to be precise..."

 

"Will you stay the night?" Harry wondered.

 

"You have room for me?" Louis teased.

 

Harry laughed, low and breathy.

 

"You can sleep on me."

 

Louis licked his lips, biting his lower lip to tame his dirty grin.

 

"In that case I think I might," he accepted.

 

"Good," Harry hummed. "I miss you."

 

"I miss you, too, babe," Louis vocalised. "And there's something I need to talk to you about..."

 

"Oh?" Harry sounded like he was picking at a loose end of a cushion.

 

Louis cleared his throat.

 

"I might need to do one last job, to help out Max," he broached.

 

"What?" Harry asked, slow and uncertain.

 

Louis let out a breath.

 

"He's not as experienced as me," Louis led. "I might just need to go along with him and give him a few pointers..."

 

"I thought you were done with that," Harry said, and it was soft but it was definitely emphatic and Louis closed his eyes with a wince.

 

"It's just an idea, I haven't said yes," Louis quickly pointed out.

 

"But you're thinking about it," Harry argued, getting stronger in his diction. "You haven't said no..."

 

"I haven't, no," Louis accepted. "I also haven't said yes."

 

"Why would you even consider it, Louis?" he accused. "When you could get hurt or-"

 

"I wanted to ask you," Louis quickly inserted. "See how you felt about it..."

 

"Well I don't like it!" Harry said then, a rush of air expelling his lungs.

 

Louis arched a brow, swallowing.

 

"Yeah, I'm getting that," he murmured.

 

"Don't bother seeing me tomorrow," Harry said then, angry and hard.

 

Louis opened his mouth.

 

"Wh-what?" he stuttered, shocked.

 

"I can't speak to you right now," Harry added bitterly and the solid clonk of him replacing his handset filled Louis' ear.

 

Louis looked at his cell phone and then wandered into the living room with a confused frown.

 

"What's up?" Liam playfully smacked his butt as he passed Louis with a plate full of food, settling on the sofa.

 

"Harry just hung up on me..."

 

Liam's brows shot up.

 

"Oh, man," he sighed. "You told him..."

 

"I _asked_ him," Louis amended. "And he just-" he o'd his mouth, still stunned.

 

Liam patted the space beside him and Louis filled it.

 

"Oh hey, Lou, fancy some food?" Sophia asked and Louis shook his head.

 

"No, thanks, Soph..."

 

She smiled kindly and turned back into the kitchen to eat, giving Liam and Louis a moment.

 

"What did he say?" Liam ventured a look over to Louis who was a different guy in his sweats and beanie than the mean machine he'd seen first-hand in action on a mission.

 

"That he couldn't talk to me," Louis shared. "That he wasn't happy..."

 

"And you told him you were only thinking about it?" Liam checked.

 

Louis nodded.

 

"He sounded so angry," Louis pouted.

 

Liam chewed thoughtfully.

 

"Flowers mate," he said. "Worked before..."

 

Louis rolled his eyes.

 

"You think?"

 

Liam hugged him with one arm.

 

"It'll be fine, he'll come round..."

 

Louis wandered back to his room and threw himself on the bed. He really hoped Liam was right.

 

//

 

 

It was gone six by the time Louis finished viewing the six apartments on his list. He was nervous and kind-of worn out when he knocked on Harry's door with a massive bunch of roses. The flower shop had rubbed their hands together gleefully when he'd come in asking for every rose they had available to make into a bouquet.

 

Louis almost expected Harry not to open his door. But when it was thrown open, Niall was on the other side.

 

"Louis! I never knew ya felt that way about me!" He teased with a crinkled grin.

 

Louis managed a smile back.

 

"Is he in?" He checked.

 

Niall nodded, motioning him in.

 

" _I don't want to see him!"_ Louis heard Harry yelling from his room. "Niall! Don't answer the door!"

 

"Too late!" Niall yelled back with a satisfied smirk.

 

"For fuck's sake!" Harry fumed. "Niall, don't you dare-"

 

"Too late," Niall shouted again, smiling at Louis. "Drink?"

 

Louis frowned.

 

"It doesn't sound like I'm exactly welcome," he commented.

 

Niall waved a hand to dismiss the distraught yells from the bedroom.

 

"Pfft, ignore that, I don't know how many times I hafta tell him not to fuck this up," he sighed, breaking open a beer bottle and pouring the contents into a glass.

 

Louis sipped it hesitantly.

 

" _Niall_ , _tell Louis I don't want to see him_!" Harry called out.

 

"Tell him yerself!" Niall yelled back.

 

Louis lifted his brows.

 

"He knew I was coming?" Louis guessed.

 

"He threw himself on the bed when he got in from work, I think. I only came around to show him my new designs..."

 

Louis perked up.

 

"Can I see?"

 

Niall gave him a bemused look, then,

 

"Uh..sure, hold on..."

 

Niall fetched his case, unzipping it to reveal his new fashion line to Louis who flipped through them slowly, appreciating each page and commenting on it.

 

Niall was looking at him strangely as he turned the last page.

 

"What?" Louis mused.

 

"Nothing, I just thought-"

 

Louis waited for the end of his thought but Niall's gaze was distracted beyond the kitchen and into the living room. Harry was leaning on the far wall, in the hallway to the bedroom.

 

"Niall, what's this?" Harry asked, hair lank and body wrapped in a ratty out-of-shape jumper and worn, ripped jeans.

 

Louis' breath caught in his throat. He'd never looked more beautiful.

 

"I'm showing Louis my stuff," Niall offered although it was obvious.

 

"I thought I said I didn't want him in here..."

 

"Well tough titties," Niall smirked. "You're being a dick and you need me to remind you sometimes..."

 

" _I'm_ being a dick?" Harry questioned, outraged, clasping the ends of his jumper sleeves in his hands as he buzzed about the living room. "I'm not the one gallivanting off to dangerous missions after promising to stay here," he accused.

 

Niall cocked a brow up and if Louis had thought he would have to fight his own battles here, he was severely mistaken.

 

"It's his job, Haz. You loved him before and you would love him if he kept doing it. Just admit that you're scared," he challenged.

 

Harry glared, eyes dark and body rigid and then his fast breathing gave away to something more shaky and tears broached his eyes.

 

"I don't want to lose him, is that so bad?" Harry asked his friend and Louis felt like an extra part, frowning confusedly between the two wondering if the real fight was between him and Harry at all.

 

"It's not bad at all," Niall walked into the living room and cupped Harry's elbows. "You just have to be able to admit it instead of yelling at everyone and pushing them away..."

 

Harry sucked in a hiccupped sob.

 

"Fine, I'm scared, okay? I'm so fucking scared I can't even think straight!" He impassioned and Louis was quick to hop out of his seat and join the pair in the other room, silently asking Niall if he could take over comforting duties.

 

Niall stepped back and Louis took Harry into his arms, one around his back, his hand scuffing into his hair as Harry curled into him helplessly, sobbing.

 

"Harry, it's okay," he soothed. "Princess...listen, I won't go...if it hurts so much I won't go, I promise..."

 

Harry staggered a little, arms wrapping around Louis' shoulders and he took a step back to balance them, deciding to coast them toward the sofa where Harry curled up across his lap, face hidden against his neck.

 

Louis looked up at Niall as he grasped him close.

 

"Sorry, is this awkward?" He murmured.

 

Niall shook his head.

 

"You're a keeper Louis, you know that?"

 

Louis shrugged. "He's too good to give away, right?"

 

Niall nodded, rubbing Harry's shoulder.

 

"Can I leave without you wanting to stab me?" He checked.

 

Harry nodded, his body still curved into Louis', seeking his embrace which Louis was giving strongly, arms wrapped around his quivering form.

 

He rested his lips in Harry's hair as the front door clicked shut and Louis hoped he'd thanked the Irish guy for his help before he'd left.

 

"I won't go, babe," he hummed. "You mean more to me, I told you that..."

 

Harry fisted his hands in Louis' top.

 

"I don't want you not to go because of me!" He cast hoarsely. "You need to have this in your life, I can't stop you."

 

"You _can_ ," Louis stroked his hair gently. "You can stop me and I'll stop happily. I never want to make you cry like this, do you understand?"

 

Harry clutched at his top and Louis was relieved to see his ring was still present on Harry's finger.

 

"I made you a promise and I plan to keep it," Louis added.

 

"I'm just so scared," Harry sighed.

 

"I know, Princess," Louis settled back when Harry showed no signs of leaving his lap.

 

And even though they were both in jeans and jumpers they folded together sideways, overlapping in the constricted space the sofa offered.

 

Harry seemed to drift off for a bit and woke up to Louis texting.

 

"Who's that?" Harry asked, gruff and low from crying.

 

"Sophia...she was making sure you've forgiven me..." He offered.

 

Harry frowned.

 

"She's in two minds to snatch me back and offer me permanent residence with her and Li..." He added with a rueful smile.

 

"What did you tell her?" Harry wondered, lips pursed.

 

"That I've met the love of my life and their spare room can't possibly compare to black jeans and curly hair..." Louis led, sliding his phone away to offer Harry a winning smile.

 

"You don't need to be forgiven," Harry said then. "But I do..."

 

Louis shrugged, his thighs wrapped nicely in with Harry's where he squeezed his muscles to keep them there, tight and sweet.

 

"Not really."

 

Harry huffed.

 

"I may have freaked out again..."

 

"I'm pretty sure you did, beautiful," Louis nodded, laying a kiss to his forehead, arms tightening slightly around him and Harry realised his own arms were circled around Louis' waist.

 

"So just ignore me and do whatever you want," Harry summarised.

 

Louis licked his lips.

 

"I would never ignore you."

 

"Well, you should."

 

"No, I should marry you," Louis considered.

 

Harry made a bemused face and a funny noise in his throat.

 

"What?"

 

"Maybe then you'd know how much you mean to me," Louis offered.

 

Harry heaved a sigh.

 

"I just got scared you'd leave and get shot or hurt and never come back again," he explained. "And you'd have another nightmare to add to your library," he pouted. "Another scar to feel anxious about..."

 

Louis smiled a little tightly at the mention of his body-marks.

 

"Well, I'm trying not to feel anxious about that," he admitted.

 

"Especially since I love you," Harry mumbled, his hand sneaking under Louis' top to clutch at his back, bare skin under his finger tips.

 

"Exactly," Louis allowed breathlessly. "Good point..."

 

"But if you want to go with Max then I'll be okay," Harry assured.

 

Louis twisted his lips.

 

"I didn't _want_ to go," he ventured slowly.

 

"What?" Harry arched a brow.

 

"I-well, I would have if it was absolutely necessary and I was thinking about it but it was almost like...Like I needed you to say it was okay to give me the confidence you know? I was scared, too," Louis frowned. "And I've never been scared before."

 

Harry's lips fell open.

 

"You needed me to support you and I just-"

 

"You told me what I already knew," Louis cut in. "That I'm not ready to take another mission just yet...maybe ever again," he added thoughtfully.

 

"Louis," Harry braced his cheek with a gentle hand. "I'm so sorry...of course you can do this...I support you 100% in _whatever_ you want to do okay?"

 

Louis smiled.

 

"Okay."

 

Harry kissed him, slow and tender.

 

"It's so good to have you back..."

 

"Home sweet home," Louis grinned, hugging him closer, fidgeting a little.

 

"Louis..." Harry swallowed, biting his lip as his green eyes sought blue-grey.

 

"Hm..." Louis hummed, kissing Harry's nose.

 

"Will you live with me?" He asked.

 

And Louis was pleasantly surprised by the question.

 

"I thought we talked about this and it was too soon for us?"

 

"I've changed my mind," Harry said. "If you feel the same..."

 

Louis bit his lip to temper his smile, one he was sure would give away his utter devotion to the man in his arms.

 

"I do, Harold," he assured lowly. "I'd love to live with you..."

 

"Good," Harry breathed out in relief. He writhed a little, testingly. "You want to make out?"

 

Louis chuckled, deep and husky. "Will you be offended if I just want to hold you?"

 

Harry nuzzled into Louis' throat.

 

"No..."

 

"Are you sure?" Louis checked, kissing into his hair.

 

"This is perfect," Harry assured softly.

 

Louis licked his lips, breath hitching.

 

"So might you marry me one day, if I ask you?" He ventured once more, just for checking's sake.

 

Harry smiled, hummed against his skin.

 

"Yes," he agreed boldly. "Only I definitely would there's no _might_ in it..."

 

"Brilliant," Louis grinned happily to himself, squeezing Harry hard. "Happy days."

 

Harry fell asleep with contented grin littering his lips.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, I am just editing the next story I am posting. I want to get some of my hybrid stuff up but I've been so busy so I'm sorry I haven't been able to yet :(
> 
> Ang


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